Donato di Niccolo di Betto Bardi, nicknamed Donatello by his friends and family, was a great Italian Renaissance sculptor and the founder of modern sculpture. He was considered one of the greatest sculptors of all time and had a more detailed knowledge of ancient sculpture than any other artist of his time. Donatello was a master of both marble and bronze, and his work was inspired by ancient visual examples. He never married and did not care much for money. Furthermore, many patrons often found him hard to deal with during the day, when guild rules regulated the artists working conditions.

Donatello was born in Florence, Italy in about 1383, as the son of a wool comber named Niccolo di Betto Bardi. He produced many works in his youth and when he was 17, he assisted a sculptor by the name of Lorenzo Ghiberti. He became a member of Ghiberti's...