Donato di Donatello :: Essays Papers

Donato di DonatelloDonatello was one of the greatest scratchors of all cartridge clip. His real name was Donato de Betto di Bardi. Donatello was born in Florence in 1386 and died at 1466. He grew up being called Donatello, which means Little Donato. thither is very little known ab kayoed Donatellos family, except his father was Nicalo di Bardi a wool comber. There is no record of Donatello ever being married or having children.Donatello began his career as a goldsmith. At the age of twelve, he began working in the workshop of the great architect Brunelleschi in 1399. Next, Donatello had the opportunity to work as an apprentice for the most noteworthy sculptor of the time Lorenzo Ghiberte. He assisted Ghiberte in constructing and decorating the famous bronze doors for baptistery in Florence. Each bronze door contained fourteen sculpted panels with scenes from the New Testament. It took Ghiberte almost twenty years to complete the doors. This experience of study under Ghiberte con tinues to influence Donatellos style of sculpting for the rest of his life.Donatellos first work of art, which was recognized, was a larger than life, statue of St. Mark. The statue measured seven feet nine inches and was sculpted out of marble. This was his first great sculpture. It took him more than two years to finish. The thing that is most remarkable about the statue is the penetrating gaze of St. Mark. Michelangelo is reported to have said that he had never seen anyone who looked more like a honest man then Donatellos statue of St. Mark. Donatellos earliest sculptures were very realistic In 1415 Donatello was commissioned to sculpt a statue of St. George, the slayer of dragons. The statue stands today in Florence. It took him two years to complete the six foot nine inch statue. The statue of St. George is that he seems very alive. The youthful expression St. George is dressed in a full suit of armor and his eyes are fired on his sword arm. Although, the statue stands firmly you almost sense that he is ready to move. The body language of St. George suggests a person ready for battle. The face and pose of St. George is very vivid and controlled that is compared to the classical Greek and Roman sculptures. By the time Donatello was in his late thirties, wealthy people were buying his sculptures. The Medici family of Florence commissioned most of his works.