Cast dated 1879. Very rare. Probably taken from the cast made by Clemente Papi in 1853, when Michelangelo’s original marble—showing the effects of 350 years of weather, vandalism, and even lightning strikes—had been moved from the Piazza della Signoria into the safety of the Accademia di Belle Arti. The story of our cast is quite a saga. If you’re interested, there’s a short account on the next page.