Donatello
Donatello
Donatello is known as one of the most important sculptors of the Early Renaissance. His techniques are still used today. Donatello, or Donato di Niccolò Betto Bardi, was born in Florence, Italy around 1386. He was an Italian sculptor and became an associate of the architect Filippo Brunelleschi, with whom he traveled to Rome to study the classical art and the Roman Ruins. Donatello started sculpting at the age of 20 and later became a humanist. He did not marry and had no children. He died in Florence at the age of eighty in 1466. Most of his well-known masterpieces were created in Florence. Three periods of Donatello’s life show how important he was to the Renaissance: the first period is influenced by Gothic sculpture, the second period is characterized by the reliance on the models and principles of the sculpture of antiquity, and the third period emphasized realism and the portrayal of character and the dramatic action.
The first period comprised the years before 1425, when Gothic sculpture influenced his work but also shows classical and realistic tendencies. Donatello was a realist. Most of Donatellos masterpieces are located in Florence. Some of the masterpieces include: St. Peter, St. Mark, Zuccone, St. George and the Dragon, St. John the Evangelist, Magdalen, and Angel with a Tambourine. Some other fine pieces of work are: Herod 's Feast, St. Louis of Toulouse, St. Peter, St, Anthony, and Equestrian 's statue called Gattamelata, and Jeremiah. Most of his sculptures were Renaissance breakthroughs. Equestrian 's statue called Gattamelata is the most proportional sculptures he ever created. In Donatello 's Gothic style he would express ugliness to give the statue a life of its own. He used a powerful realism that gives the Equestrian 's statue called Gattamelata a distinct look.
The second period deals with the years between 1425-1443 and is generally characterized by a reliance on the models and principles of the sculpture of
Donatello is known as one of the most important sculptors of the Early Renaissance. His techniques are still used today. Donatello, or Donato di Niccolò Betto Bardi, was born in Florence, Italy around 1386. He was an Italian sculptor and became an associate of the architect Filippo Brunelleschi, with whom he traveled to Rome to study the classical art and the Roman Ruins. Donatello started sculpting at the age of 20 and later became a humanist. He did not marry and had no children. He died in Florence at the age of eighty in 1466. Most of his well-known masterpieces were created in Florence. Three periods of Donatello’s life show how important he was to the Renaissance: the first period is influenced by Gothic sculpture, the second period is characterized by the reliance on the models and principles of the sculpture of antiquity, and the third period emphasized realism and the portrayal of character and the dramatic action.
The first period comprised the years before 1425, when Gothic sculpture influenced his work but also shows classical and realistic tendencies. Donatello was a realist. Most of Donatellos masterpieces are located in Florence. Some of the masterpieces include: St. Peter, St. Mark, Zuccone, St. George and the Dragon, St. John the Evangelist, Magdalen, and Angel with a Tambourine. Some other fine pieces of work are: Herod 's Feast, St. Louis of Toulouse, St. Peter, St, Anthony, and Equestrian 's statue called Gattamelata, and Jeremiah. Most of his sculptures were Renaissance breakthroughs. Equestrian 's statue called Gattamelata is the most proportional sculptures he ever created. In Donatello 's Gothic style he would express ugliness to give the statue a life of its own. He used a powerful realism that gives the Equestrian 's statue called Gattamelata a distinct look.
The second period deals with the years between 1425-1443 and is generally characterized by a reliance on the models and principles of the sculpture of
Bibliography: Draper, James David. 2000 "Donatello (ca. 1386–1466)." In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/dona/hd_dona.htm (October 4, 2007) History Reference Center Colorado: Lakeside Publishing Group, LLC, 2006. History Reference Center. Hutchinson 's Biography Database, 1 ed. "Painting and Sculpture." Abingdon, UK: New Mill House, 2005. Harris, Nathaniel. “David.” In The Art of the Renaissance. 14. Italy: Smithmark Publishers, 1995. Brook, Peter. 2007 “Donatello and David.” Mercierart.com: Classical and Figurative Sculpture