Amanda Brauer
Donatello Biography
October 15, 2009
Donatello
Donato di Niccolo Bardi, known as Donatello was one of the most influential,
artists of the Italian Renaissance. Not much is known about Donatello’s life except for
that he was very gifted from the start. Born into a family of wood carders, he developed
his skills at a very young age. Giorgio Vasari’s book Lives of the Artists has many short
stories about his life, but none can be proven true. Donatello first became an apprentice
for Lorenzo Ghiberti, but soon went to sculpt bronze reliefs on the doors of the
Florentine Baptistery.
Donatello’s earliest; most famous work of art is his statue of David. Done in the
gothic style, David was dramatic, had given off much energy, and had a graceful feel with
soft curved lines. The statue of David stood as a civic-patriotic symbol in the Palazzo
Vecchio before being replaced with Michelangelo’s version. Donatello had many other
works in the course of the next few years, including the marble statues of St. John the
Evangelist, St. Mark, St. George, and in bronze a statue of St. Louis of Toulouse.
Donatello soon teamed up with Michelozzo, a sculptor and architect. Together, they
created very pure sculptures including the Feast of Herod, which first displayed
Donatello’s use of linear perspective.
After Donatello left Michelozzo, and went to work in Padua, his last three years
there he was very stationary with his art. He was going through a crisis that kept him
from doing his artwork. He was quoted as saying he almost died from the “frogs in
Padua”. He was then soon treated and created the wooden statue of John the Baptist.
Donatello changed Florence’s view on art when he returned. Donatello returned sick and
died in December of 1466 while he was working on twin bronze pulpits for San Lorenzo.
Donatello still to this day, along with many others is one of the most significant artists of
not only the Italian Renaissance period, but of all time.
David Statue- (Bronze)
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First unsupported bronze statue in the Renaissance period
First free-standing nude male
Portrays David stepping on Goliath’s head after his victory against him
Standing naked with a hat and boots bearing Goliath’s sword
Has another statue of David done in marble, although this statue was fully
clothed, having Goliath’s head resting between his feet
David being naked portrays the idea of gods presence
David’s stance portrays that Goliath did not pose a threat to him
The statue is now in the Bargello3
Very controversial stature—1. because he’s naked. 2. the feather wrapped around
his leg represented homosexuality, and at the time sodomy was illegal which
made this allegation risky
Sculpted in gothic style  influenced by northern European art
Unusual- feminine