Donatello - Life & Works

Donatello, or Donato di Nicolo di Vettobardi, was a sculptor in the early Renaissance. Born to a member of the wool guild in Florence, he received his artistic training in a goldsmith's workshop. He went on to be Lorenzo Ghiberti's pupil on the bronze doors of the Florence Baptistery, which gave his career a huge boost. He was also the companion of Brunelleschi on his visit to study the ancient architecture of Rome. Cosimo de' Medici was Donatello's patron, commissioning David. Furthermore, when the Medici family was exiled, Donatello travelled to Rome and their returns to Florence coincided. His most noted works include The Apprenticeship on the Bronze Doors of the Florence Baptistery, Or San Michele, the Statue of Saint George, David, and more. In this video, we will explore his work on Or San Michele and the Statue of David. Originally built as a marketplace in 1337, this gothic-style converted church is a unique example of niches for hire, in which Florence's guilds commissioned representative statues of their patron saints. In 1412, Donatello sculpted a statue of Saint George for the Armoury Guild. Donatello, as well as Ghiberti and Giambologna, were among the most sought-after sculptors. The long-lasting importance of this guild church is shown by the range of dates of commissions, Tedesco's Madonna of the Rose in 1399 to Giambologna's Saint Luke in 1601. Donatello did the following statue of Saint George. This niche was made for an Armoury Guild and was taken off and put in a museum 40 years ago because Florence was too polluted. The statue was originally in marble. One would have thought bronze because it was for an Armoury, however, they could not afford it. It is also unusual because Saint George has such a classical style, for example, his curly hair. Interestingly, although he is wearing armour, you can still see his chest and moreover the shape of his body. This is quite important because this means he is no longer a huge saint but has now become a person, an individual. This plays on the idea that saints are people and is therefore a personification of ideas, but that saints have become people you can identify with. Saint George stands with his feet apart, which is a sign of confidence, and he holds a shield. This shows that he is a man of action and suggests he is about to go into battle. Furthermore, his stance appears confident, positive, with his chest out. He looks like a man of action, summing himself up to do the deed. But on the other hand, his eyes look a little reserved and hesitant. This again helped people relate to the natural human feelings. Saint George symbolises chivalry, the crusades, fighting for God and good versus evil. Donatello's scarring is very inventive with Saint George. The shields have armour on each side, so you can identify the type of armour. Many cite it to be the statue of the Renaissance because this is the first example of applied mathematical perspective in sculpture. This statue was sculpted in 1415, approximately 10 years before Masaccio's Holy Trinity. It has been applied in the arcading on the right. The string course above it is stressed to shallow relief at the back. This type of part or base relief is known as Relievo Schicciato and depicts the moment of Saint George slaying the dragon. This statue is of the Old Testament figure David from David and Goliath, 1 Samuel 17. In the legend, David is roughly 13 years old and accepts the challenge to slay the giant Goliath. The Philistine giant is killed using a sling and catapult, and David thereby saves the Israelites. Donatello was originally commissioned to sculpt a David for the operae of Florence Cathedral, to be put with 12 other statues on the cathedral buttresses. This was because David had become an emblem of Florence. In 1401, Rome, a superpower state, attempted to besiege Florence, a much smaller state, and had failed. Therefore, the Florentine people felt the story of David and Goliath exemplified their situation. However, the statues were too small to be seen from the buttresses in the end, so were taken down and unfortunately just stayed in a workshop for several years, until it was finally moved to the Palazzo della Signoria. In roughly 1440, Cosimo de' Medici commissioned Donatello to sculpt a second David for his courtyard in the newly built Medici Palace. This David is a freestanding bronze male nude. This was the first freestanding and therefore unsupported statue of the Renaissance. He is in contrapposto, where the weight of an individual is on one side. He has also been depicted in quite an effeminate manner, as he is quite a pretty, idealised and slim boy. It has been said that Donatello was probably gay, which is why David here is quite erotic. At the time, Donatello was also accused of casting the boy live because of how spectacularly naturalistic he is. Additionally, David is standing triumphantly holding Goliath's sword and with his left foot on Goliath's head, which is in the box. This statue is an example of an exploited use of bronze, for example the negative space, and the sword which would have been almost impossible to carve if the statue had been marble, for instance. On the other hand, it is quite similar to Donatello's statue of Saint George because David can also be viewed from all angles. However, the placing of the statue suggests a classical revival because of its placing in the courtyard. In Gothic style sculpture like Saint George, statues tended to be an integral part of architecture. However, the David here is not in a This David highly resembles Hermes or Mercury, the messenger god. David also wears Hermes's attributes, the hat, boots and the feather that protrudes from Goliath's head. This reflects how Cosimo de' Medici was a political messenger between courts, with his eloquence and diplomacy. The fact that he is naked is also extremely classical and synonymous with antiquity, a complete revival. The message being represented here is similar to before, that smaller powers can take on larger power through the use of cunning and wit, not through thuggery.