Donatello

Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi, or Donatello, what his family and friends often called him, was an Italian Renaissance Sculptor whose influence was greatly felt in Florence, but reached as far as Venice. He is considered to be one of the finest sculptors of all time and the originator or modern sculpture. Donatello, born in 1386, was the son of a Florentine wool worker. His father was interested in politics and known for his temper after he killed a political opponent in 1382. Donatello inherited his temper. The beginning of his career and training is not definite, but it is speculated that he was trained as a metal worker. He traveled to Rome when he was young and studied ancient sculpture. When he came back, he worked as an apprentice for Lorenzo Ghiberti. When Donatello was 17, he helped Ghiberti to construct and sculpt the famous bronze doors of the baptistery in San Giovanni, Florence.
After working for Ghiberti, Donatello was commissioned to create sculptures of his own. He b...