DON'ATEL'LO, or DONATO, (16-nii/to le.1386-1466). An Italian sculptor of the Florentine School. He was the most impor tant sculptor of the early Renaissance, and, more than any other. may be considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was born at Florence. probably in 1386. His father, Niccolil di Betto 1;ardi, a wool-comber. was an ardent politician, who passed much of his life in exile. Donato is said to have been brought up in the house of the wealthy and cul tured Martelli. hut this is unlikely, since the Martell' belong.ed to the party hostile to his father. Authorities differ as to whether his master in sculpture was Bicei di Lorenzo, Cione, the father of Ghiberti. or Niecolo d'Arezzo. but the question is of little importance in relation to an artist whose work was as original and as revolutionary as Donatello's. He certainly re ceived great inspiration from his friendship with Brunelleschi (q.v.), the architect. In 1403 they went to Rome together. supporting them selves as goldsmiths while they studied and ex cavated among the ruins. Donatello not only studied the antique statues. but learned the secrets of ancient relief and perspective in sculp ture. He was back in Florence by 1105.
Donatello was the most prolific sculptor of the Renaissance. and it will be possible to mention only his principal works. Those executed before belong to what may he called his formative period, in which he shows strong reminiscences of the Gothic, but with increasing classical and nalistic tendencies. Among his early works showing the antique influence is a sandstone relief of the "Annunciation," in the Cavaleanti Chapel. Santa Croce, Florence. It would he hard to conceive of anything more beautiful than the modest, grateful expression of the Virgin's countenance. Of his three marble statues for the exterior of the Church of Or San Michele, "Saint Peter." ordered in 140S by the Butchers' Guild, shows hesitancy in execution and Gothic reminiscences: "Saint Mark," executed in 1411 E2 for the Linen Drapers. is more elassie—an admirable figure of noble proportions in an easy position, and set off with graceful drapery: "Saint George," completed in 1416 for the Ar morer•. now in the Museo Nazionale, is the most attractive work of his early period. The face of the youthful hero is strong and gentle: his bear ing expresses determination, bid without con straint.
During the same period Donatello was oven pied with a number of statues for the Cathedral of Florence. Among these were ".Tolin the Evan gelist" (1415), the prototype of Miehelangelo's and a colossal "David" (111(i), now in the Aluseo Nazionale. These works showed classical tendencies, but at the same time he created others of a pronounced realistic charac ter. as, for example, the so-called "Joshua" (1412), in the Cathedral, and especially the fig ures for the Campanile, the "Jeremiah," and the famous "Znecone" ( Ba ldhead ) called "David"—an old man of unusual ugliness, though the statue is wonderfully strong and life like, and was Donat•llo's favorite. Both this statue and the painted bust of Niccoh) da Uzzano, a realistic portrait. now in the Aluseo are assigned by some critics to a later period.
Meanwhile Donatello's fame had spread throughout Italy. and he could no longer execute his commissions alone. In 1425 he formed an association with the architect and sculptor Aliehelozzo, and this date marks the beginning of his second period. Michelozzo furnished the architectural designs, and also assisted in bronze casting. in which his associate was inexperienced. Their first joint work was the monument to Pope John (1425-1426), in the baptistery of Florence. Under a marble canopy, with a relief of the "Madonna and Child," lies the bronze effigy of the Pope, by DonateHo. Below is the sarcophagus. carved with two angels bearing the inscription. The beautiful marble base con tains three statues. "Faith," "Hope," and "Char ity," of which the first is by Nichelozzo. Of their other joint works. the monument of Car dinal lirancacci. in San Angelo, Naples, and that of Bartolomeo Arazzi, in the Cathedral of Monte puleiano, were chiefly clone by Aliehelozzo (q.v.). The excellent relief of the "Ascension," of the former, is by Donatello. He also executed other bronze works, which Michelozzo cast for him: in 1426 a sepulchral slab for the Bishop of Gros seto, in the Cathedral of Siena, and in 14•7 a relief for the font of the baptistery there, representing "Herod Receiving the Head of John the Baptist"—a vivid representation of dramatic action. his association with Aliehelozzo ceased when the latter accompanied the banished Cosi mo de' Medici to Venice in 1433.