Incredible Centrepiece of Italy's Expo 2020 Pavillion Nearly Done

The 3D-printed copy of Michelangelo’s David statue which will be the centrepiece of Italy's Expo 2020 pavilion is nearly done.

Made in a laboratory in Florence, the piece is a replica of the original statue at the Academy Gallery in Florence.

Made of acrylic resin covered with marble dust, the 3D replica will be the same size as the original and weigh 400 kilos, with the base weighing 150 kilos.

Da Firenze a #Expo2020 #Dubai: il Gemello del David inizia il viaggio verso il Padiglione Italia??https://t.co/GOHBmjCryg#digitalizzazione #arte #cultura #3D #tecnologia #davidmichelangelo #ItalyExpo2020 #labellezzauniscelepersone pic.twitter.com/1HopSmP2PO

— Italy Expo 2020 (@ItalyExpo2020) April 14, 2021

To capture microscopic details of the 16th-century marble statue, engineers in Florence used high-tech cameras and mounted laser scanners on stairs.

The next stage involved 3D printing of the figure into 14 pieces, before it was assembled by team of restorers at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence - considered to be one of the world's most important institutes for the conservation and restoration of art.

Expo 2020 Dubai will run from 1 October 2021 until 31 March 2022.