Donatello

In the work of the early Renaissance sculptor Donatello (born Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi) life seems to burst out of the metal and stone. His greatest masterpieces include the vigilant marble Saint George (ca. 1417) in the Orsanmichele msueum, Florence; the graceful figure of young David (ca. 1440); and the impressive bronze equestrian statue of Gattamelata (erected 1453) that harked back to ancient Roman art. Donatello’s use of sinuous forms, which encourages the eye to move around the figure, influenced generations of Italian sculptors, mostly notably Michelangelo, well into the 16th century.