Circa 1386-1466
Sculptor

Early Career. Donatello, born in Florence around 1386, was the son of a wool-carder. A leading sculptor in the early Renaissance, his work was noted for its versatility in conveying human drama. He was a friend of the humanist theorist Leon Battista Alberti and architect Filippo Brunelleschi. Donatello traveled to Rome with Brunelleschi, but the date of their trip is disputed. Both men had a strong interest in classical antiquity. Donatello's work demonstrated his understanding of Roman portrait sculpture as well as the heroic nude. Donatello was trained as a goldsmith in the workshop of Lorenzo Ghiberti, where the bronze reliefs for the doors of the Florence Baptistery were being developed. His early work included commissions of guild saints for San Michele in Florence (1411-1414). Among these was a statue of St. Mark for the Linen Drapers' Guild and a statue of St. George for...