In time of the Renaissance, there were many great artists that did amazing paintings. Donatello was different; he did sculpting and made some of the world’s most beautiful sculptures. His early years were when he got all his training and learned the true art of sculpting. At his mid-point of his life, Donatello made most of his famous sculptures at this time. His final days were spent still making sculptures until he passed away. When you combine all the information of his early, middle and late years, you have a spectacular story of Donatello. Donatello was born in 1386 in Florence and passed away in 1466 in his hometown. His father was Niccolò di Betto Bardi who was a Florentine Woolcomber. Donatello’s training began when he was an apprentice to Lorenzo Ghiberti, the man who modeled the bronze reliefs on the north doors of the baptistery of San Giovanni in Florence. Ghiberti taught Donatello about how to do wax and clay modeling which was a part of the process for modeling bronze. He also learned how to carve marble in workshops located in the Florence Cathedrals. As Donatello learned more and more, his talents as a sculptor were quickly becoming recognized. Donatello was given commissions for things to be done around Florence such as various guilds and sculptures for cathedrals. Each commission required difficult consideration of the function of the sculpture and an awareness of the angle from which it would be viewed, as well as a portrayal of the traditional, individual attributes of the saints and their histories. (Encyclopedia of Artist) Donatello began modeling relief scenes that he uses to decorate the lintels of his statues as well as to decorate private rooms in people’s houses.
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He continued to be highly involved with relief carvings over the next fifteen years, finishing commissions for cathedrals in places such as Siena, Florence, and Rome. Probably the most famous of these is the Singing Gallery which is located in the Florence Cathedral (1433-1439), and the Old Sacristy, commissioned for San Lorenzo Church and mausoleum by the Medici family (1433-1443). Between 1415 and the mid-1430s, Donatello also worked on a series of life-size statues of the prophets. Every sculpture is treated as an individual, although based on classical models. The interest in individualizing statues of religious figures carried over onto into Donatello’s interest in Roman busts. By reviving this ancient art, in a portrait bust of his contemporary Niccolo da Uzzano, Donatello again embodied the spirit of the Renaissance. Portrait busts remained uncommon at the time, but sculpted portraits were common on tombs. Donatello’s innovative combo of the effigy of Baldassare Coscia with scenes from the scriptures on his tomb inspired many of the tombs that time. (Encyclopedia of Artist) Donatello moved to Padua in 1443, where he remained for 10 years. The most famous works he made there are the bronze crucifix for the basilica of San Antonio and a new high altar, now dismantled. He also created the Gattamelata equestrian monument to a captain-general of the Venetian army-an image of military power that inspired similar monuments for centuries after. Donatello returned to Florence in 1453. One of his most famous works of this time are his bronze David (c1459), which was also unusual for its near nudity, a harrowing painted wood statue of Mary Magdelan, a series
He continued to be highly involved with relief carvings over the next fifteen years, finishing commissions for cathedrals in places such as Siena, Florence, and Rome. Probably the most famous of these is the Singing Gallery which is located in the Florence Cathedral (1433-1439), and the Old Sacristy, commissioned for San Lorenzo Church and mausoleum by the Medici family (1433-1443). Between 1415 and the mid-1430s, Donatello also worked on a series of life-size statues of the prophets. Every sculpture is treated as an individual, although based on classical models. The interest in individualizing statues of religious figures carried over onto into Donatello’s interest in Roman busts. By reviving this ancient art, in a portrait bust of his contemporary Niccolo da Uzzano, Donatello again embodied the spirit of the Renaissance. Portrait busts remained uncommon at the time, but sculpted portraits were common on tombs. Donatello’s innovative combo of the effigy of Baldassare Coscia with scenes from the scriptures on his tomb inspired many of the tombs that time. (Encyclopedia of Artist) Donatello moved to Padua in 1443, where he remained for 10 years. The most famous works he made there are the bronze crucifix for the basilica of San Antonio and a new high altar, now dismantled. He also created the Gattamelata equestrian monument to a captain-general of the Venetian army-an image of military power that inspired similar monuments for centuries after. Donatello returned to Florence in 1453. One of his most famous works of this time are his bronze David (c1459), which was also unusual for its near nudity, a harrowing painted wood statue of Mary Magdelan, a series