Statue Of David By Michelangelo Encased In Bricks To Prevent Damage From Bombs During World War II (1943)
In January 1943, the iconic 17-ft marble statue of the Biblical figure David, Michelangelo’s David, was encased in brick to preserve it from the bombs in WWII. It remained hidden away for two and a half years until, eventually, preservationist Deane Keller had the great honor of removing the protective casing. He wrote to his wife, expressing his excitement: “The bright spot yesterday was seeing Michelangelo’s David at length divested of its air-raid protection. It was dusty and dirty, but it was a great thrill.”
