How did Donatello use ancient Roman lettering in his sculptures?

Donatello was a pioneering figure in the Renaissance revival of classical aesthetics, and his use of lettering reflects his deep engagement with antiquity. The inscriptions and signatures found on his works are recognized as some of the earliest examples of the revival of Classical Roman lettering.1

While Donatello was not a cultured intellectual, he was a connoisseur of ancient art who possessed a more wide-ranging knowledge of ancient sculpture than any other artist of his time. His incorporation of these letterforms was part of a broader movement among humanists and artists in Florence who sought to restore their lost heritage by studying and imitating the scripts and inscriptions found on ancient monuments and artifacts. By integrating these classical characters into his sculptures, Donatello helped bridge the gap between medieval traditions and the emerging Renaissance style, setting a precedent for the use of epigraphic lettering in Western art.12