Name
Date
Donatello
By Sharon Fabian
Can something be really ugly and really beautiful at the same time?
Donatello's sculpture, the Feast of Herod, seems to say that the answer is
"yes."
Feast of Herod pictures a gruesome event. It shows three scenes of the
beheading of Saint John the Baptist, including the moment when the head of
Saint John is presented to Herod on a silver platter. What could be uglier
than that?
And yet, Feast of Herod is also a beautiful work of art. Completed in
bronze relief, it was popular in its day and has also stood the test of time.
Despite its violent content, art lovers see beauty in the arrangement of its
subjects and in Donatello's use of perspective. They note the expressions that
Donatello carved onto his subjects' faces.
Not all of his sculptures are of such troubling topics. He began his career under the mentorship of Lorenzo
Ghiberti. Ghiberti himself spent most of his career working on one large commission, a series of many scenes on
the doors of a church baptistery in Florence. Donatello also worked on the project which included one series of
panels known as the Gates of Paradise.
Like Feast of Herod, the Gates of Paradise is carved in relief. In relief carving, the 3-D figures extend out of
a solid background.
Donatello is known as the creator of a technique known as shallow relief. Carvings in shallow relief seem to
have great depth, but are actually carved on a shallow plane. Carvings in shallow relief seemed to have
background and atmosphere much like a painting would.
Donatello's sculptures progressed through several stages as he developed his style and his techniques. His
earliest ones were gothic in style, like the works of earlier sculptors. Later, he studied the works of the ancient
Romans and Greeks and developed a classical style. Later still, as he developed a style all his own, Donatello
sculpted in an amazingly realistic style. He created characters that seemed to be active and full of drama.
Donatello created many works during his long career. His masterpieces include Saint Peter, Saint Mark,
Saint George and the Dragon, Angel with a Tambourine, and Feast of Herod.
Every angel, saint, or everyday person that Donatello sculpted seems to be an individual. Each one seems to
have a life of its own. Maybe one has a scowl on his face. Another might be staring off into the distance, deep in
thought.
Donatello's David has a thoughtful expression. If you look at the bottom of the statue by David's feet, or if
you know the story of David and Goliath, you will know what he is thinking about. David has just slain Goliath.
Donatello was never afraid to tackle violent subjects, but his art never glorifies the violence. Just the opposite
- it shows the expressions on people's faces as they come to realize just what has happened.
Donatello was looked up to by many other Renaissance artists. They admired the advances that he made in the
craft of sculpture. They admired his creativity and the individuality of each figure that he sculpted. They
admired the realism and thoughtfulness of his work. Today, we can enjoy those same qualities in Donatello's
sculptures, as long as we take a close look and see beyond the more obvious features, like St. John's head on the
platter.
Name
Date
Donatello
Questions
1. Donatello was a ______.
A. architect
B. musician
C. painter
D. sculptor
2. Feast of Herod shows ______.
A. a celebration
B. a church door
C. the beheading of John the Baptist
D. the beheading of Herod
3. Donatello ______ Lorenzo Ghiberti.
A. taught
B. painted
C. worked for
D. sculpted
4. In the early years of Donatello's career, he sculpted in the ______ style.
A. gothic
B. classical
C. Greek
D. realistic
5. In the later years of his career, Donatello sculpted in a ______ style.
A. realistic
B. classical
C. gothic
D. Greek
6. Donatello's statue of ______ illustrates the Bible story of David and Goliath.
A. the Feast of Herod
B. the Gates of Paradise
C. David
D. none of the above
7. Donatello was not well known in his own time.
A. false
B. true
8. Because his sculptures often showed violent scenes, Donatello was never asked to sculpt religious subjects.
A. true
B. false
Name
Date
Relief sculptures can show whole scenes more easily than free-standing ones. The Gates of Paradise doors were done
in relief and so was the Feast of Herod. List some modern events that you think would be good topics for relief
carvings.
Donatello worked in bronze and also in wood and in stone. Which do you think would be the easiest material to
work with? Which do you think would produce the best results? Give reasons for your answers.