Donatello's Annunciation
In your own words, explain how Donatello has told the story of The Annunciation in sculpture and why contemporaries were so impressed with his achievement.
Donatello is considered to be one of the most influential artists of the 15th century. A
member of the innovative group of painters, architects and sculptors that revolutionised art in
Florence at the beginning of the 15th century, he succeeded in becoming perhaps the most successful
in his field due to his understanding of the aspects of classical sculpture and the creative and
emotive way in which he adapted them to his own works. In particular, his reliefs surpassed all
others of the time in terms of their dramatic effect and complexity of character placement and
spatial awareness. I am going to describe how Donatello depicted the scene of the Annunciation in
sculpture through his combination of different classical motifs and methods and also in the
materials he used. I will discuss how he conveyed human emotions through his careful and modern
placement of the characters while also staying true to the traditional image of the Angel Gabriel
delivering the news to the Virgin. I will also talk about how Donatello's risks, skill and innovation
made him so admired by his contemporaries and how he influenced subsequent changes in
sculpture.
The Cavalcanti Annunciation in shiacciato relief was made out of local macigno sandstone instead of the
usual marble. It is quite easy to carve which made it possible for Donatello to create the richly decorated
tabernacle and flowing lines of the figures. It also made it easier for Donatello to have greater depth in the
scene, creating more contrast between light and dark and [1]“in order to create the effect of an interior setting
with intarsia panelling”.
The sillouhette of Donatello's tabernacle seems to be the end product of a whole line of
tabernacles designed to house grave offerings or
Donatello is considered to be one of the most influential artists of the 15th century. A
member of the innovative group of painters, architects and sculptors that revolutionised art in
Florence at the beginning of the 15th century, he succeeded in becoming perhaps the most successful
in his field due to his understanding of the aspects of classical sculpture and the creative and
emotive way in which he adapted them to his own works. In particular, his reliefs surpassed all
others of the time in terms of their dramatic effect and complexity of character placement and
spatial awareness. I am going to describe how Donatello depicted the scene of the Annunciation in
sculpture through his combination of different classical motifs and methods and also in the
materials he used. I will discuss how he conveyed human emotions through his careful and modern
placement of the characters while also staying true to the traditional image of the Angel Gabriel
delivering the news to the Virgin. I will also talk about how Donatello's risks, skill and innovation
made him so admired by his contemporaries and how he influenced subsequent changes in
sculpture.
The Cavalcanti Annunciation in shiacciato relief was made out of local macigno sandstone instead of the
usual marble. It is quite easy to carve which made it possible for Donatello to create the richly decorated
tabernacle and flowing lines of the figures. It also made it easier for Donatello to have greater depth in the
scene, creating more contrast between light and dark and [1]“in order to create the effect of an interior setting
with intarsia panelling”.
The sillouhette of Donatello's tabernacle seems to be the end product of a whole line of
tabernacles designed to house grave offerings or
Bibliography: Books Kim W.Woods, Making Renaissance Art (The United Kingdom, 2007), p.117 Michael Greenhalgh, Donatello and His Sources (Gerald Duckworth & co.ltd, 1982) p.84-95 Janson, Sculpture of Donatello (Princeton University Press, 1957), p.141-157 [ 1 ]. Kim W.Woods, Making Renaissance Art (The United Kingdom, 2007), p.117 [ 2 ] [ 3 ]. Siren (1914), Donatello and His Sources (Gerald Duckworth & co.ltd, 1982), p.84