Donatello
The son of a Florentine woolcarder, Donato di Niccolò de Betto Bardi (d. 1466) is considered the greatest sculptor of the XV Century, and his style influenced the development of Renaissance art. Donatello was apprenticed to Ghilberti in the early XV Century, and during a visit to Rome, Donatello seems to have studied classical statuary. Donatello spent most of his life in Florence; he is known to have worked in Padua from 1444-1453 and in Siena in the late 1450's. In spite of the influence his work had, the details of his life are obscure.
The poses of David and of Gattamelata show the influence of Roman art. In addition to combining classical form with Christian expression in sculpture, Donatello was a pioneer in the use of perspective in relief; his schiacciato technique uses different heights of relief to create depth and distance. Donatello's work inspired schools of art at Padua and Venice and was a strong influence on the work of Michelangelo.
Karen Rae Keck
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