ROME, July 15 (UPI) -- Five centuries after Michelangelo's "David" was unveiled in Florence, there is a contretemps about how to save the icon from the ravages of time.
There's been debate on whether the marble statue that has stood inside the Galleria dell'Accademia since 1873 should be restored to its original perfection or simply cleaned of grime.
In the cradle of the Renaissance, whether a major artwork should be cleaned, restored or left untouched is invariably the stuff of intense debate.
Florence's art establishment decided last year "David" needed attention and promised only a gentle cleaning of the 14-foot-high statue.
The restorer first hired to clean the statue, resigned in April, charging the approved method was too harsh, the New York Times reported.
Since then there's been debate on "wet" vs. "dry" methods and a petition signed by 39 international scholars has proposed suspending any action pending review by an independent commission of experts.
