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David
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Figure 156: David, bronze sculpture by Donatello, c. 1430-35. In the Bargello, Florence. Height 1.58 m. Donatello: David
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David

bronze work by Donatello
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Figure 156: David, bronze sculpture by Donatello, c. 1430-35. In the Bargello, Florence. Height 1.58 m.
Figure 156: David, bronze sculpture by Donatello, c. 1430-35. In the Bargello, Florence. Height 1.58 m.

Donatello was a master sculptor of the Italian Renaissance, renowned for his work in both marble and bronze. He is particularly celebrated for his bronze sculpture of David, created around 1440. This work is significant as the first large-scale, free-standing nude statue since Classical antiquity. Unlike Michelangelo's later marble David, which was carved from a single, challenging block of stone, Donatello's bronze David was conceived as a complete, independent work. Donatello's mastery extended to other notable works, including the equestrian monument of Gattamelata and the statue of St. Mary Magdalene.123

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. Donatello
  2. How a Rejected Block of Marble Became the World’s Most Famous Statue
  3. Donatello: Top Questions

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