Giorgio Vasari

“ But it is in the figure of the Virgin that he has principally displayed his art. Alarmed by the unexpected appearance of the angel, her movements betray timidity, yet, with great sweetness and most becoming reverence, she turns herself with an exquisite grace towards him who is saluting her, insomuch that one perceives in her countenance the humility and gratitude due to one who presents an unexpected gift, and which are all the more deeply felt, the more important is the benefit received. In the draperies of this madonna moreover, and in those of the angel, Donato exhibited much ability ”

“ For a convent of nuns, in Padua, Donatello executed a San Sebastiano, in wood, in compliance with the entreaties of a chaplain, their friend, who was a Florentine, and one of his own intimates. This chaplain brought Donato a figure of the saint, old and very ugly, belonging to the nuns, begging that he would make the new statue like that. The master, desiring to oblige the chaplain and the nuns, took pains to imitate their model; but, rude and ugly as the figure he had to copy was, Donato could not do otherwise than manifest the excellence of his art in his accustomed manner. ”

“ For this tomb, Donato executed the figure of the departed pope in gilded bronze, with those of Hope and Charity, in marble, all with his own hand; but the figure of Faith [11] was done by his pupil Michelozzo. In the same church, and opposite to the work just described, is a figure of Santa Maria Maddalena, executed in wood, which is extremely beautiful and admirably finished: the penitent is seen consumed and exhausted by her rigid fastings and abstinence, insomuch that every part exhibits the perfection of an anatomical study, most accurately represented in all its parts. ”

“ Messer Antonio de’ Nobili also, who was administrator of his excellency the duke, had a work in marble by the hand of Donato in his house, and in this is a half-length figure of Our Lady, which is so beautiful, that Messer Antonio prized it as much as all his wealth: nor is it less valued by Giulio his son, a young man of singular excellence and judgment, the friend of artists and of all distinguished men. In the house of Giovan Battista d’Agnol Doni, a Florentine gentleman, there is moreover a Mercury in metal by Donato, the height one braccio and a half ”

“ The death of Donato was much regretted by his fellowcitizens, by the artists, and by all who had known him in his life, and to the end that they might do him more reverence after death, than he had received while alive, they performed his obsequies most honourably in the above-named church, and he was accompanied to his grave by all the painters, architects, sculptors, goldsmiths, and in fine, by nearly all the inhabitants of the city. ”

“ Now it chanced that at this time the Signoria of Venice, having heard of his fame, sent for Donato, to the end that he might erect the monument of Gattamelata, [47] in the city of Padua, whither he repaired very willingly, and where he erected the bronze horse, still on the Piazza di Sant’ Antonio, in which the chafing and neighing of the horse are made clearly obvious, while the pride and spirit of the rider are also expressed with infinite force and truth by the art of the master. ”

“ In the court of the before-mentioned Palazzo de’ Signoria is a David, in bronze, by this master, naked, and of the size of life. He has cut off the head of Goliah, and, raising his foot, he places it on the head; in his right hand is the sword. The animation, truth to nature, and softness manifest in this figure, make it almost impossible to artists to believe that it has not been moulded on the living form. This statue formerly stood in the court of the Medici Palace, but, on the exile of Cosimo, [31] it was transported to the position above named (the Signoria) . ”

“ Thus, as the friend and servant of the house of Medici, Donato lived in cheerfulness and free from cares all the rest of his days: when he had attained his eiglity-third year, he became paralytic, and could no longer labour in any manner, whereupon he took to his bed, where he lay constantly, in a poor little house [79] which he had in the Via del Cocomero, close to the nuns of San Niceolo, and here, becoming worse from day to day, and declining by degrees, he died on the 13th of December, 1466. ”

“ It may indeed be truly said of this master, that he effected as much by the superiority of his judgment as by the skill of his hand; seeing that many works are produced which appear very beautiful in the work-rooms where they are executed, but which, when taken thence and placed in another situation, in a different light or higher position, present a much changed aspect, and turn out to be the reverse of what they appeared. ”

“ Among the disciples of Donato, properly so called, must be numbered a certain Giovanni da Pisa, whom Donatello, according to the Anonimo of the sixteenth century, published by Morelli, had with him in Padua, and by whom there is an excellent alto-rilievo in terra-cotta, in a chapel of the church of the Eremitani in that city, of which Cicognara has given an engraving, —Masselli. ↑ In the collection of drawings of the Florentine Gallery, there is a beautiful head of a child by Donatello; it is in water-colours on blue paper; the high lights are white. ”

“ Messer Lelio Torelli also, [71] first auditor and secretary to the lord duke, a no less judicious lover of all the sciences, talents, and honourable vocations, than excellent as a lawyer, has a marble figure of the Virgin in his possession which is likewise by Donatello. But fully to narrate the life and enumerate the works executed by this master, would necessitate a longer story than we have proposed to ourselves in writing the lives of our artists, seeing that he occupied himself with so many things ”

“ In the transept of the church also, Donatello executed four figures of saints in stucco, [59] each five braccia high, which are very well finished. The bronze pulpits were likewise constructed under his direction; and the passion of Christ [60] represented thereon, is a work in which drawing, force, and invention, are alike remarkable, with a rich variety in the figures and building. This work Donato was prevented by age from completing himself, and it was finished by his disciple Bertoldo [61] § who brought it to the utmost perfection. ”

“ In the Mercato Vecchio, on a column of granite, standing entirely apart, there is a figure of Plenty, by Donato, in the stone called macigno forte, which is so well done, that it has always been field in the highest estimation by artists and all men of judgment in matters of art. [13] The column on which this figure stands was formerly in San Giovanni, where the remaining columns of granite which sustain the inner cornice are still in their places ”

“ Donato also constructed a sepulchral monument for an archbishop, which was sent to Naples, and is erected in Sant’ Angelo di Seggio di Nido. [43] In this work are three figures in full relief, which support the sarcophagus on their heads, and on the tomb itself is a story, in basso-rilievo, which merits the highest praise. In the palace of the Count of Matalone, in the same city, is the head of a horse, from the hands of Donato, which is so beautiful that many believe it to be antique. ”

“ On his return into Tuscany, Donatello constructed a marble tomb in the chapter-house of Montepulciano, adorned with an historical representation of great beauty. [54] In the sacristy of San Lorenzo, in Florence, he executed a marble lavatory, on which Andrea del Verrocchio also worked, [55] with many busts and figures in the palace of Lorenzo della Stufa, which are full of spirit and animation. Then, leaving Florence, he repaired to Rome, where he laboured to the utmost of his power to imitate the works of the antiques ”

“ At the end of some months, the work was completed to the height of perfection, and this done, Filippo one morning invited Donato to dine with him, and the latter accepted the invitation. Thereupon, as they were proceeding together towards the house of Filippo, they passed by the Mercato Vecchio, where the latter purchased various articles, [8] and giving them to Donato, said, “Do thou go forward with these things to the house and wait for me there, I'll be after thee in a moment.” ”

“ Beneath are the words, “opus bertoldi florentini sculptoris. ” One of the principal merits of Bertoldo is, that of having been the head of that sort of academy or school of art which the magnificent Lorenzo assembled in his gardens, and also the collector of many models, drawings, etc., which had been used by his masters, but which are now unhappily lost. —Masselli. ↑ There is a battle in basso-rilievo, in the hall of the modern bronzes in the Florentine Gallery, which is certainly very beautiful. ”

“ George killing the dragon is executed in basso-rilievo, and also in marble: in this work there is a horse, which has been highly celebrated and much admired: in the pediment is a half-length figure of God the Father, also in basso-rilievo. ”

“ See also Cicognara, ut supra. ↑ The author of the Descrizione above cited, p. 79, believes with good reason that this second capital—or, more properly, part of the same capital —was not carried away in the sack of 1512. He inclines to think that it was never erected in the place destined for it. ↑ Erasmo da Narni, called Gattamelata, leader (condottiere) of the Venetian troops. ↑ Schorn remarks that the figure of the rider is somewhat too small, when considered in relation with that of the horse; and Masselli asserts that the rider is not so much esteemed as the horse. ”

“ Da Casa Bischeri,” etc. ↑ Palmieri, in his work De Temporibus, assigns 1468 as the year of Donato’s death. The “1466” of Vasari, is perhaps an error of the press. ↑ Bottari observes that another reason for his choice of San Lorenzo, may have been that many of his works were there; as Vasari also informs us, in a passage of his Ragionamenti. Donatello had previously secured a tomb in this church, as we learn from Manni, who cites the grant made by the Prior Piero Betti. The sepulchre of Donatello was granted, in the year 1547, to the Scalandroni family. ”

“ Rumohr remarks that the pulpit of San Lorenzo is very rudely cast; and from this circumstance he conjectures that Donatello may have secured assistance for the execution of the Judith. — Ital. Forsch. ii, 239. ↑ Cosimo the Elder: Pater Patriae. ↑ Now among the bronzes preserved in the Gallery of the Uffizj. ↑ This figure is also in the Uffizj, in the western corridor, and on the left hand.—Masselli. ↑ These medallions are still in their original position, and are in good preservation. ↑ A Marsyas of white marble is now in the Gallery of the Uffizj, and is supposed to be that here mentioned ”

“ An equally admirable work of this master is also in that palace—a bust of San Giovannino, so beautiful and so exquisitely finished as to be a perfect gem. Schorn affirms that the idea of Raphael’s John the Baptist was taken from this work. The genealogical tree of the Martelli family was executed by Donatello on the fa9ade of their ancient house ”