Why Sioux Falls Statue Of David Has Big Hands And Small Junk

Visitors to Sioux Falls often notice something peculiar about our downtown replica of Michelangelo's David: his disproportionately large hands and modestly-sized “package”.

So what's with the "wanker"? This isn't a mistake or local censorship. It's actually faithful to the Renaissance masterpiece.

The Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Michelangelo replica of the Statue of David is the nude statue that stands on a pedestal at Fawick Park downtown.

READ MORE: Things You Didn’t Know About Sioux Falls ‘Statue of David’

Michelangelo deliberately carved David with these proportions for both practical and symbolic reasons.

The statue was originally intended to be placed high on Florence Cathedral in Italy, meaning viewers would see it from below.

The enlarged upper body features, particularly the hands, were designed to appear correctly proportioned when viewed from this angle.

As for David's famously understated “biscuits”...Renaissance folks apparently associated smaller male "twig and berries" with intellectual refinement and self-control.

The Greeks valued moderation in all things, including physical attributes.

David represents the perfect man of intellect and restraint rather than brute strength.

The Sioux Falls replica preserves these intentional artistic choices, sparking the same conversations Michelangelo's original has prompted for centuries.

So when visitors comment on these anatomical peculiarities, you can explain it's not Midwestern prudishness … that there is Renaissance genius on display!