Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi (1386-1466), better known as simply Donatello, was one of the most influential artists of the Renaissance. He studied classical sculpture in Rome and incorporated his findings into his style.
This Renaissance style of sculpture would influence numerous artists that followed him. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the top 9 most famous Donatello sculptures.
1. David
- Date created: 1440s (exact date unknown)
- Location: Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence
David by Donatello is not to be confused with one of the most famous sculptures of all time, The Statue of David by Michelangelo. He created a marble David which was to be placed on one of the buttresses of Florence Cathedral but was too small to be visible (which is why Michelangelo made his David so huge.
His bronze David was the first nude sculpture ever created since antiquity and the first unsupported standing work of bronze cast during the Renaissance.
2. Saint John the Evangelist
- Date Created: 1409-1411
- Location: Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Florence
One of the first commissions for Donatello as a young artist was a massive statue of Saint John the Evangelist. This statue originally decorated the old façade of Florence Cathedral until the year 1588.
It’s described as one of the first statues that moved away from the elaborate Gothic style to a more realistic and naturalistic style which eventually defined the Renaissance.
3. Bust of Niccolo da Uzzano
- Date Created: 1432
- Location: Bargello Museum, Florence
To emphasize the fact that Donatello was able to work with just about any material to create his sculptures, one of the most famous Donatello sculptures is a bust of a man named Niccolò da Uzzano which was made in polychrome terracotta.
Da Uzzano (1359 – 1431) was a famous politician in Florence and the Gonfaloniere of Justice. The sculpture was created one year after the man passed away and offers a very realistic view of his appearance.
4. Saint Mark
- Date Created: 1411-1413
- Location: Orsanmichele, Florence
The Statue of Saint Mark was another sculpture created during Donatello’s younger years which stands about 236 centimeters (93 inches) tall. It is on display in the collection of the Orsanmichele Church in Florence.
A copy of the sculpture can be found outside of the church in a niche that used to house the original. The statue is famous for its detailed realism as even the veins on the hands of Saint Mark are visible.
5. The Penitent Magdalene
- Date Created: 1453-1455
- Location: Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Florence
Penitent Magdalene is one of the most famous wooden Donatello sculptures and is believed to have been commissioned by the Baptistery of Florence. It was created with the wood of the silver poplar tree and again emphasizes the versatility of the artist.
The statue is so different from how Magdalene is portrayed in contemporary art that it can easily be described as revolutionary. The beautiful young woman as Magdalene was mostly shown was changed into an aging woman, which is a more realistic depiction.
6. Equestrian statue of Gattamelata
- Date Created: 1453
- Location: Piazza del Santo, Padua
The Equestrian statue of Gattamelata is considered to be the first statue of its kind created since antiquity. It depicts condottiere Erasmo da Narni, known as “Gattamelata,” who commanded an army in the Republic of Venice.
Because this bronze statue was put in a public square (where it still resides today) in Padua, it became the inspiration for hundreds of similar statues in the future, making it a truly inspirational work of art.
7. Saint George
- Date Created: 1415-1417
- Location: Bargello Museum, Florence
The Statue of Saint George is another one of the sculptures commissioned by the guilds of Florence to decorate the outside of the Orsanmichele Church in Florence. It used to decorate the church until the year 1892 when it was moved to the Bargello Museum in Florence.
From 1892 until 2008, a bronze replica was put inside the niche where the original statue used to stand until it was replaced in the same year with a marble one that looks exactly like the original.
8. The Feast of Herod
- Date Created: 1427
- Location: Battistero di San Giovanni, Siena
The Feast of Herod is another one of those intriguing Donatello Sculptures because it’s not just one of his first bas reliefs, another form of sculpture that would make him famous, but also the first one to be cast in bronze.
Even though it only measures 60 by 60 centimeters, it appears to be depicting a huge scene. This is because of Donatello’s intricate use of perspective. It depicts the moment after the beheading of John the Baptist and his head is put on a platter and appears on the baptistery of the Cathedral of Siena.
9. Judith and Holofernes
- Date created: 1457-1464
- Dimensions: 236 centimeters (93 inches)
- Location: Palazzo Vecchio, Florence, Italy
Judith and Holofernes is another bronze sculpture by Donatello that depicts a Biblical hero. The Book of Judith describes the woman as a beautiful widow for whom Holofernes, an invading Assyrian general, lusts. While he’s drunk, she manages to sneak into his tent and decapitated him.
The sculpture depicts the woman as she is raising her sword, ready to make her move. Ten bronze work was placed on the Piazza della Signoria along with Donatello’s David to emphasize the power of Florence in the 15th century. It was later moved into the Sala dei Gigi inside the Palazzo Vecchio.
10. Marzocco
- Date created: 1418-1420
- Dimensions: 136 centimeters (53.54 inches)
- Location: Bargello Museum
Marzocco is a sculpture that depicts the ultimate symbol of the Republic of Florence and later the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. This heraldic lion holds one paw on top of the coat of arms of the city of Florence and has played a very important role in its history.
Remarkably, this sculpture was commissioned to decorate one of the interior spaces of the Santa Maria Novella church in Florence. More specifically, the staircase that led up to the papal apartments inside the church. It was placed in the Piazza della Signoria in the 19th century but moved to its current location in 1885. A replica still stands in front of the Palazzo Vecchio today.
