In the same year Donatello went to Rome, at the invitation of the sculptor Simone. whom he assisted in the decorations for the coronation of the Emperor Sigisnmnd. The works executed during his stay at Rome show a greater than usual influence of classic art upon him. Chief among them is the Ciborium in the sacristy of Saint Peter, decorated with reliefs of two "Wor shiping Angels," and a fine "Burial of Christ." Meanwhile. in 1434, his friend Cosimo de' Medici had returned in triumph to Florence, and Dona tello returned about the same time. Ile was employed in decorating the court of the .Nledici Palace with eight medallions—copies of antique gems—which were executed by his pupils. About the same time he designed his bronze "David" for Cosimo—a beautiful statue, breathing the spirit of the antique more than any other work of the master—and the first mole statue of the Renaissance. "Judith and Holofernes." now in the Loggia dei Lanzi—a piece of fine realism, although its effect is somewhat marred by Holo fernes's legs dangling over the pedestal.
Between 1434 and I OR he executed the ex tr pulpit of the Cathedral of Prato, the reliefs of which. representing. "Dancing Angels." are of a lively. decorative effect and were de signed by 1)onatello, although their imperfect execution points to the work of his pupils. During the -ant• time completed his reliefs for the organ gallery of the Cathedral of Flor ence (11401. a counterpiece of the similar sub ject 112. Luca della Bobbin (q.v.). it is full of clicrzy and dramatie act ion. t lie exaggera mot ion and sketchy execration being for an ehetated position. Roberto Alartelli was also an appreciative patron, as is evinced by a large number of Donatello's works. preserved in his house. Among these was a line coat of arms of the family, a large bronze patera. deco rated with Bacchanalian scenes, now in South 1.cnsington Museum. London, and two repre sentations of 1)onatello's favorite subject, ".John the bust and a statue. The statue represents him as a youthful aseetie, as does also an older statue in the Nazionale, but the bust. as well a-. a relief of .John the Baptist, in the and another at Faenza, are more ideal. 1)onatelln also represented him as the ascetic preacher of the desert in a wooden statue in the Church of the Frari, Venice (1451), and in a bronze statue in the Cathedral of Siena (1457). Similar to the latter is the skeleton like wooden statue of "Alagdalen," in the Bap tistery of Florence.
The third period of Drinatello's art (1444-WI) with his call to Patina in 1444. where he was invited to execute a bronze equestrian statue of "Erasmo de' Narni." called "(:attaine This work was not finished till 1153. As the first bronze statue since antiquity it was epoell-makino in art. The rider is of dignified and noble hearing, and the heavy war-horse is full of life, and no less a portrait than the rider, though the action in walking is untrue to nature. 1)uring his stay in Patina lie 111'.1igi17.11 a large nunibtr of br011Z1' for the groat altar of San Antonio, which are now scattered through the cliiindt. the subjects represented vere of the "four Patron Saints of Padua," and reliefs of a "Piet)," att ''Entomb went of (in plaster). I if Saint "Symbols of the and Singing and Muisie." Although d•siellell by Donatello, these works were executed by his pupils. The of Saint .\ntliony." in particular, show clearness of composition and dramatic action unexcelled in his other works. Notwithstanding the inducements offered hint to remain at Padua. 1)onatello was unhappy away front Florence, and in I 13, lie left. _\ fter visiting Venice, Ferrara, and other North Italian cities, he returned to Florenee in 1457, where he passed the rest his life. except for a brief stay at Siena. lie devoted himself to finishing
his work in San Lorenzo, it flaIntlat it)11 of the 2\ledici. in he hail exeetited a line bronze scpnIchial statue for (1itivanni. Cosimo's hillier, there. and before hi- departnre for Padua he had designed the e,ellent plat fie deeoration, of the old Sacristy. .\ fter his return he designed the s•nlptures of the two pulpits, which he did not live to complete. They are dramatic in de sign, but inferior in finish, and, like most of his work of this lost period. tiny show a decline. lie died on December 13, I Wit, and was buried in S7111 1.17t1.11ZO, near his friend Cosimo Me dici. Vasari's charming a necolot es, confirmed by what Nye otherwise know. picture film as a modest and lovable character, generous with money and careless of appearanee.
seldom has 7111 artist appeared who was more revolutionary and broke mare completely with the pat than Donatello. Ills eontemporaries, Ohiberti and lama della BA,tibia. represent more the conservative t•ntIVIleies of the age. Dtamtello was the great radical. They were the classicists, he the realist—a realist of the highest kind, whose works were true to nature, without being slavish copies. Not that he was deficient in knowledge of the antique, or in the sense or beauty. Ile deliberately sacrificed beauty to character, which no one could portray better than he. His works also abound in dramatic action. lie was an excellent technician, and whether working with bronze or marlde, lie gained the best effects that his materials would yield. 11c excelled in the treatment of flesh, and was a consummate master in relief, ranging through its entire scope, and never losing the plastic effect, as was done by Gliibe•ti. In his last period, however, his compositions became overcrowded and the action is exaggerated. No other artist of the day understood perspective in sculpture as lie did: Vasari records interesting anecdotes of the astonishment of the Florentines at the near and distant effects of his statues and reliefs. Donatelio left a large and important school, the principal representatives of which were Andrea del Vero•chio, da soft glianci„ Antonio Rossolino, and Dertohbo. teacher of :\lielielangelo. llis influence more than any other dominated the sculpture of Florence throughout the fifteenth century, until the cul mination of Italian art in 7.diclielangelo, his artistic descendant. It also was the inspiration of the sculpture of northern Italy, and even of the painting, as is seen in the case of lantegna, the thief master of Padua, who copied statues of Donaterio. Not only was he considered the greatest sculptor I if his day. but modern criti cism has confirmed this judgment, placing him among the greatest seulptors of all time.
litm.tocn.tt tit. Thu chief source of informa tion for the life of Donatello is Vasari's Curs m( tire Painicrs, edited by :Nlilanesi (Florence, 1S78; English translation by lilashlield, New York, 1,19(). vol. i. 'file best modern biogra phies are those of \Iiiiitz (Park, 1855), and Scraper ( Innsbruck, 15S7), who is probably the hest modern authority. Others are those of Sehmarso• (Leipzig, 14:G1: Pastor ((;iessen, 1592) : Trombetla (Hone. 15!.17): Angelini, roeci. and 'Milani (Florence, 1,;57) ; Beyniond , Paris. lsnml. The folio of Cavalueci. Vito of (giro' di ()owl!, no (Milan. contains ex cellent photographic illustrations. of the works in different phases of Donatello's life and art. see 111oria, /boo/lel/0 in l'nda•a (Padua. 1!.+95): Tselludi, Donn/chin r critirn 1111,110 no, (Turin. lsS 1. There is no good English biography of Donatello; see, however. Perkins. 7'n,ctra sculp tors ( Posenlierg. in Dohme's Kunst and li iiu.cllr r ( Leipzig, i.: Bolt. !tali, nisch," Biblhaurr de r Renais sance (11vrlia.