Donatello's Donato Di Niccolò Di Betto Bardi

Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi , or more commonly known as Donatello(born around 1386 and died in 1466 in Florence), is considered to be one of the Renaissance’s most distinguished Italian artists and sculptors, with his advancements holding a great impact on the Renaissance and the development of art. Donatello’s works were mostly considered as breakthroughs or new discoveries. He was a humanist and a realist, he used more of a realistic approach instead of the gothic style other artists were using. Donatello experimented with medium and method, which led him to discovering new techniques. He also greatly influenced artists of his and modern times. Donatello flourished in his works of naturalism, humanism, and realism. With his ever blossoming …show more content…
Donatello’s sculptures were able to portray all these aspects and more perfectly. Donatello invented the shallow relief technique, this contributed to his advancing in statuary. The shallow relief method makes a nearly flat surface appear to have a lot more depth, so sculpting using perception to establish depth. Another technique is called the Bas relief where the figures and sculpture are made to just barely be more prominent than the background, an overall flat or very shallow plane. These techniques were adapted from many sculptors and artists prior to Donatello. The birth of these methods inspired sculptors during the Renaissance and now, therefore allowing art to advance and develop as many other great talents experiment and invent new techniques and methods. .He also worked with various mediums such as marble or bronze- when fashioning the David- which inspired other Renaissance artists to exercise other mediums as well. David was the first freestanding nude male sculpture of the Renaissance, it was made from Bronze, which made it very hard for Patrons to deal with and understand. Donatello was able to display the human body in such a way that wasn’t able to be shown since long ago: a functional organism. He introduced depth and life to sculpting, while developing a unique style as well …show more content…
Renowned Italian artist and sculptor, Michelangelo, was greatly influenced by Donatello. Michelangelo studied with Bertoldo di Giovanni, an aging master whom trained with Donatello, while living in the house of the great Lorenzo de' Medici (often referred to as Lorenzo the Magnificent). Donatello’s legacy in art (mostly sculptures) were admired by all, including Medici. Bertoldo di Giovanni continuously exposed young Michelangelo to the works and sculptural processes of his legendary master, Donatello. The blossoming artist was infatuated by Donatello’s works, he studied every one of Donatello’s artworks, which provided him with an inspiration and a criteria of greatness that Michelangelo hoped to surpass. An extraordinary example of influence can be seen in Donatello’s statue of John the Evangelist (1408) and Moses by Michelangelo (1513-1515), both were and still are considered two of the greatest masterpieces of the Renaissance. Another famous example would have to be David by Donatello (1425-1430) and Michelangelo’s David (1501-1504). Both statues were made using Donatello’s shallow relief technique except Michelangelo’s was made of Marble and his inspiration’s was made of bronze. Donatello portrayed David after the fight in the Bible and Michelangelo’s was before the fight, but both figures were nude. Most art critiques say Michelangelo’s David is a more excellent version of his