Biography of Donatello

The revival of the forms

Birth year: 1386
13 December 1466
Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi, better known as Donatello, was born in Florence in 1386. Sculptor, Goldsmith and even Designer, is considered one of the fathers of Italian Renaissance, together with his friend Filippo Brunelleschi and Masaccio, as well as the creator and leading exponent of classicism Florentine humanist. Of its formation, it can be said with certainty that in 1403 is employed by the goldsmith and sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti, in his workshop. The first door of the baptistery in Florence, finishes, is signed by Donatello, in addition to that of his master. In 1407 the great sculptor works alongside of Nanni di Banco, for patrons of the Opera del Duomo, a series of statues where there is an obvious attempt by both to overcome and renew the prevailing Gothic and late Gothic language then in Florentine art. In marble, built in 1409, David Donatello began working on plastic, nature still owed, invigorendone undulations of the Gothic style.
The years between 1404 and 1408 are very important to the Florentine artist. In addition to taking part in the work of the Florentine Cathedral, architectural and sculptural of the Bell Tower and the Orsanmichele, makes fruitful trips to Rome together with Filippo Brunelleschi. Here, both remain fascinated by art and ancient. The outcome of these trips it is found now in Donatello, when he completed in 1416 the statue of St. George, for a niche of the Orsanmichele, and the relief on base with "the liberation of Princess from the Dragon". The statue soon became a symbol of humanism, the fifteenth-century heroic vision of man, whose strength is enhanced by the placement of the volume in a calibrated, designed according to the dictates of Brunelleschi's perspective. The rationality of the measures dear to his friend and architect, is forced into brilliant way by Donatello in another work just as Cardinal of his work: "the sacrifice of Isaac", for the Group of the Bell-Tower of 1421.
Four years later, in 1425, Donatello opens up shop together with Michelozzo Michelozzi, anagrafe Di Bartolomei, also a great Italian sculptor and architect. The partnership lasted until 1433. During this time they see the light works such as the bronze tile of the baptismal font of the Siena Baptistry, with the splendid Banquet of Herod made by Donatello, or the tombs of antipope John XXIII in Florence Baptistry or important, those of Cardinal Brancacci to Sant'Angelo a Nilo in Naples. In the latter work, which dates from 1427, Donatello he invented the technique masterfully applies "sieving" or "crushed", detectable in the relief of the assumption, that apply changes to the millimeter of thickness, functional however illusory space creation.
Between 1432 and 1433 the Florentine sculptor makes a new trip to Rome. During this stay, always with Michelozzo, realizes the "Tabernacle of the Sacrament" in St. Peter and the "tombstone Crivelli" at Aracoeli. But it's on the way back, in his Florence, Donatello he completed some of his unforgettable masterpieces, such as the famous bronze "David". In the nude, in the round, you detect the influences of classical studies made during the stay in Rome: the model is indeed that of antique statuary, but the originality of Donatello's in fusion of re-enactment of the ancient and the restlessness of the modeled, in which there is a continuous modulation of light and shade. Other work contemporary to the David di Donatello, is the choir of the Cathedral of Florence where, as in the Prato Cathedral, "kingship belongs to the child" the cherubs in their dances, mark of the inspiration of the great sculptor. Between 1435 and 1443 also ends the dramatic excitement of the Apostles and martyrs to the two bronze doors of the sacristy of the old church of San Lorenzo, Florence. Right in 1443 Donatello was called to Padua to run the equestrian monument to mercenary Erasmo da Narni said Gattamelata.
His stay lasted about ten years. The Padoan work is important because it allows to Donatello to revive late Gothic style still in vogue in the North. The Renaissance since then spreads to the entire upper Italy. With local sculptors Bellamo and Hedgehog, in these years he also worked at the monumental altar of the Saint, in the homonymous Basilica. The opera Il Gattamelata 1447 to 1453 and instead inspired by antiquity, is important to the vision of the face of portraiture protagonist, set in an expression of contained tension. In 1454 Donatello falls within its Florence. Elder, continues his artistic activity in his workshop, in which figure as the sculptor Bertoldo. In this last period was the crowning bronze Judith and Holofernes, at Palazzo Medici, constructed between 1455 and 1460. Donatello died in Florence on 13 December 1466 at age 80 years.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.