City-states vied for the best artists. After Ghiberti dragged his feet, Siena invited Donatello to finish the job.
Donatello
His nudity references classical antiquity, but David embodies the ideals and concerns of 15th-century Florence.
Donatello, David
A soldier saint in Renaissance Florence.
Donatello, Saint George
When the citizens of Florence looked up at St. Mark, they saw a mirror of their own dignity—and of ancient nobility.
Donatello, St. Mark
This difficult sculpture is an exercise in contrasts: frailty and power, pure spirituality and anatomical accuracy.
Donatello, Mary Magdalene
The secrets of large-scale casting were lost for a thousand years, but bronze horses were no sweat for Donatello.
Donatello, Equestrian Monument of Gattamelata
This marble relief is as flat as Tuscan bread, yet its atmospheric space recedes into depth. Extraordinary.
Donatello, Madonna of the Clouds
From granary to—church? Once open to the city, this building and its niches blend the spiritual with the everyday.
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