A cultural holiday to Tuscany wouldn't be complete without a trip to the famous city of arts, Florence where a famous sculptor called Donatello was born and raised! Anyone with a passion for art and history will love following in the footsteps of this innovator whose work is mostly displayed in sites across the city.
Tourists have a wealth of Tuscany holiday rentals with great reviews in and around Florence city where they can relax and enjoy a few days of art appreciation!
Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi was born in 1386 but was nicknamed ‘Donatello’ by friends and family. He studied art and sculpture under some of the great artisans of the day, Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi. He went on to become one of the greatest sculptors in the world and was an influential figure in introducing a new style of humanism to his work.
Donatello was an innovator of style and seemed to effortlessly breathe life into his human sculptures. His work was a great source of inspiration to the younger sculptor and painter, Michelangelo Buonarroti.
Tourists have a wealth of Tuscany holiday rentals with great reviews in and around Florence city where they can relax and enjoy a few days of art appreciation!
Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi was born in 1386 but was nicknamed ‘Donatello’ by friends and family. He studied art and sculpture under some of the great artisans of the day, Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi. He went on to become one of the greatest sculptors in the world and was an influential figure in introducing a new style of humanism to his work.
Donatello was an innovator of style and seemed to effortlessly breathe life into his human sculptures. His work was a great source of inspiration to the younger sculptor and painter, Michelangelo Buonarroti.
He was in fact the first sculptor to use bronze as a sculpting medium and soon became a master of the art. He completed a magnificent group of statues for the Duomo in Florence that included characters like Saint John the Evangelist, the Sacrifice of Isaac and Habbakuk.
Visit the Basilica di Santa Croce where he created ‘Saint Louis of Toulouse’ or ‘Crucifix’; a harrowing sculpture of a humble Jesus hanging on the cross. The pain of the crucified body is evident and Donatello makes this horrific scene come to life for those who see it.
Also worth visiting is an unusual wooden sculpture of Mary Magdalene that Donatello completed in his later years. The figure looks haggard and in a position of repentance. She was branded as a ‘prostitute’ in biblical stories but in meeting Jesus, she changed her ways and became a devout disciple. Her clothing initially appears to be a dress of rags is in fact an exaggerated interpretation of her long flowing hair that’s mentioned in the bible.
Visit the Basilica di Santa Croce where he created ‘Saint Louis of Toulouse’ or ‘Crucifix’; a harrowing sculpture of a humble Jesus hanging on the cross. The pain of the crucified body is evident and Donatello makes this horrific scene come to life for those who see it.
Also worth visiting is an unusual wooden sculpture of Mary Magdalene that Donatello completed in his later years. The figure looks haggard and in a position of repentance. She was branded as a ‘prostitute’ in biblical stories but in meeting Jesus, she changed her ways and became a devout disciple. Her clothing initially appears to be a dress of rags is in fact an exaggerated interpretation of her long flowing hair that’s mentioned in the bible.
Donatello was in fact, the first to create a sculpture of ‘David’ except his was in bronze and is displayed at the Bargello museum in Via del Proconsolo in Florence. It is very striking in appearance and many draw comparisons between his and Michelangelo’s.
Regardless of preference, it cannot be denied that nothing less than genius could have created such a magnificent piece of art.
A journey around the sites that house the great work of Donatello would be a fascinating addition to your vacation to Tuscany. Read through some of our related articles on other mesmerising masters of the Renaissance to help inspire you next cultural adventure!
Regardless of preference, it cannot be denied that nothing less than genius could have created such a magnificent piece of art.
A journey around the sites that house the great work of Donatello would be a fascinating addition to your vacation to Tuscany. Read through some of our related articles on other mesmerising masters of the Renaissance to help inspire you next cultural adventure!
Photo credits
picture 1: frieda / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: sailko / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: patrick / CC BY-SA 2.0
picture 1: frieda / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: sailko / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: patrick / CC BY-SA 2.0
