Donatello’s Bronze Statue of David Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI
Bronze statue of David
Bronze statue of David, sculpted by Donatello (1430s)

My favorite Renaissance artwork mentioned in the episode is a bronze statue of David, sculpted by Donatello (1430s). Among Donatello’s creations, the bronze half-meter statue of the young David is particularly remarkable. It is the first image of a free-standing naked human body in Renaissance sculpture. David’s figure was created in the most classical period of the master’s work and has several peculiar features characteristic of the Renaissance.

The theme of the statue and the specifics of the image and perception of the human body portrayed through it are very characteristic of the Renaissance. First, the hero-winner theme is a typical one because it is a popular theme of the Renaissance. One of the most widely heroized images of the Italian Renaissance is the biblical shepherd, the conqueror of the giant Goliath and later the most famous king of Israel. The innovation of Donatello’s style in comparison with the ancient sculpture is shown in the following features. The ancient sculpture was a self-image, a sense of human body; it lacked the main feature of the Renaissance – the importance of space. Antiquity only depicts a body while the Renaissance portrays a body in space. In David’s closed silhouette, there is a sense of such sharpness and tension that the profound difference between this work and more harmonious antique models is apparent.

In such a creative solution, the understanding of the human personality, the power over one’s destiny, was manifested, which was not the case in antiquity. After Donatello’s David, the nude figure became an integral part of the new humanistic art. Donatello embodied a bold impulse, dynamism, and spirituality in this statue, more than in his earlier and later works. This figure completes the period of laying the foundations of the Renaissance and marks the beginning of a new era in Italian art history.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2023, June 19). Donatello’s Bronze Statue of David. https://ivypanda.com/essays/donatellos-bronze-statue-of-david/

Work Cited

"Donatello’s Bronze Statue of David." IvyPanda, 19 June 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/donatellos-bronze-statue-of-david/.

References

IvyPanda. (2023) 'Donatello’s Bronze Statue of David'. 19 June.

References

IvyPanda. 2023. "Donatello’s Bronze Statue of David." June 19, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/donatellos-bronze-statue-of-david/.

1. IvyPanda. "Donatello’s Bronze Statue of David." June 19, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/donatellos-bronze-statue-of-david/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Donatello’s Bronze Statue of David." June 19, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/donatellos-bronze-statue-of-david/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1