Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi was an Italian sculptor, born and raised in Florence, that is better known as Donatello and had a major role to play in the growth of Renaissance art. Having studied classical sculptures in his younger days, he began making his beautiful creations from the ripe young age of 16. He continued to work and develop his unique and stunning style of sculpting.
With his skill at working with a wide variety of materials, including bronze, clay, wax, stone, wood and many others, Donatello was commissioned to create many notable works and made major contributions to the development of Renaissance art. His work has been on display among those of numerous other notable Renaissance artists, like Leonardo Da Vinci and Sandro Botticelli. Here are 20 magnificent masterpieces, forged by the hands of this great artist.
1. Lo Zuccone, now housed in the Museo dell' Opera del Duomo, Florence, Italy
(By Donatello, Wikimedia Commons)
2. The Feast of Herod, now on the baptistry of the Siena Cathedral in Italy
(By Sailko, Wikimedia Commons)
3. The Tomb of Cardinal Rainaldo Brancacci, now at the Sant'Angelo a Nilo in Italy
(By Sailko, Wikimedia Commons)
4. The "Assumption of the Virgin", on the Tomb of Cardinal Rainaldo Brancacci
(By Donatello, Wikimedia Commons)
5. Basilica del Santo Crucifix, now placed on the high altar of the basilica di Sant'Antonio da Padova in Padua, in Northern Italy
(Copy at the Pushkin Museum, Moscow, By Sailko, Wikimedia Commons)
6. The Baptism of Christ, now at the Arezzo Cathedral
(By Donatello, Wikimedia Commons)
7. Judith and Holofernes, now at the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence
(By Sailko, Wikimedia Commons)
8. The Marzocco, the heraldic lion and a symbol of Florence, now housed in the Piazza della Signoria
(By RicciSpeziari, Wikimedia Commons)
9. David, now housed in the Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence
(By Donatello, Wikimedia Commons)
10. The Madonna and Child, now housed in the Louvre
(By Sailko, Wikimedia Commons)
11. The Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata, now located in the Piazza del Santo in Padua, Italy,
12. The Penitent Magdalene, now on display in the Museo dell' Opera del Duomo in Florence
(By Sailko, Wikimedia Commons)
13. The San Rossore Reliquary, now in Florence’s Museo Nazionale di San Matteo
(By Donatello, Wikimedia Commons)
14. Virgin and Child with Four Angels, now found in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
(By VAwebteam, Wikimedia Commons)
15. St George, now in the Bargello Museum, Florence
(By Sailko, Wikimedia Commons)
16. The Santa Croce Crucifix, now in the Cappella Bardi di Vernio, Florence, Italy
(By Sailko, Wikimedia Commons)
17. The Tomb of Antipope John XXIII, in the Florence Baptistry
18. The Pazzi Madonna, now at the Bode-Museum, Berlin
(By Donatello, Wikimedia Commons)
19. Saint Louis of Toulouse, in the Museo di Santa Croce, Florence
(By Sailko, Wikimedia Commons)
20. The Piot Madonna, now in the Louvre
(By Donatello, Wikimedia Commons)
This Artist Uses Fruit and Veggies to Create Stunning Art
Witness the wonderful sculptures of Takehiro Kishimoto, who sculpts in fruit and vegetables.
Incredible Piano Performance of Schumann’s Sonata No. 2
Listen to the incredibly talented and award-winning pianist Tiffany Poon play a lovely rendition to Schumann’s Sonata No. 2
This Artist Recreated the Parthenon Using Banned Books
The artist Marta Minujin created the Parthenon of Books - a life-sized replica of the Greek Parthenon made of 10,000 banned books.
True Wealth Isn't Measured by Bank Accounts...
Despite the relentless push by everything around us to convince us of the merits of materialism, true wealth is markedly different. Enjoy this video.
Admire the Talent of the World’s Top 15 Ballet Dancers
Ballet is one of the most delicate and elegant dance styles to watch, as proven by these 15 talented dancers...
Only Michelangelo Can Turn Marble into a Masterpiece
There's no task quite as painstaking as sculpting an image that can come to life. These are some statues created by the genius Michelangelo
MUSIC BOX: Click to Listen to 12 of ABBA's Best Songs!
We've compiled a list of 12 of ABBA's greatest hits for your listening pleasure.
As He Plays the Violin, My Heart Skips a Beat...
This beautiful performance is one you won't soon forget.
This Little Guy Just Wowed Everyone With His Voice
Meet Masuku, a modest young man with a shy smile who's about to take the stage. Little does the audience know, they're in for a breathtaking surprise.
It is Amazing What This Artist Can Do With Two Strings
Listen to the beauty of a true Erhu master, creating exquisite music with just two strings...
A Huge Domino Display with 35,000 Pieces!
This marvelous domino display is made of 35,000 pieces, as well as a lot of other objects that add to the fun. Watch it all unfold!
Let Vivaldi's Music Breathe Renaissance Beauty Over You
Vivaldi is one of the biggest names in all of musical history, and now you can hear why with this collection of 24 of his finest compositions.
We Bet You've Never Heard This Musical Instrument Before
Listen to this little known musical instrument called a yaybahar.
Classic Performance: The `Smoking Magician`!
Tom Mullica is one of the most celebrated magicians and comedians in the world, and is known for his amazing cigarette tricks. Also, his great sense of humor and showmanship make for a very entertaining show!
Ever Thought Music and Humor Don't Mix? Think Again!
This performance is a stunning mixture of beauty and humor. Definitely worth a watch!
This Acrobatic Display is One for the Books!
From Tanzania to America's Got Talent, it was clear the Hakuna Matata acrobatic group were something special.
She Uses Her Fingers to Create Realistic, Beautiful Art...
This artist uses a unique method to create stunning, icy landscapes
These Gorgeous, Classic Paintings Will Leave You in Awe
J.M.W. Turner is perhaps one of the most well-known British artists ever. When you feast your eyes on 10 of his most famous paintings, you'll understand why.
If You Think Celtic Music is Dead, You Should Hear This
Hayley Westenra's enchanting performance proves beyond doubt that Celtic music is far from being consigned to the annals of history. Listen to her now.
The Most Underrated Christmas Movies You Never Saw
This holiday season, enjoy these underrated Christmas movies.
Logs Can Be Turned Into Art If You've Got the Eye for It
These pictures prove that even piling wood can be turned into a work of art.
This Artist Turned Her Unique Paper Art Into a Living
Portuguese artist Sena Runa's beautiful paper quilling art has resulted in her amassing a staggering 100,000 followers. Take a look at her unique work here.
15 Incredible Paintings That Every Art Lover Must Know...
Here are some of the greatest paintings in art history. What do they mean to you?
This Orchestra is Like Nothing You've Seen Before...
Presenting you The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, as they play one timeless and unexpected soundtrack. Give them a listen!
This Is What 100 Years of Dancing Look Like
This video is so creative, because it features just 2 dancers doing 100 dances with 100 changes of wardrobe. Amazing!
11 Picasso Paintings That Shocked the Art Establishment
If there is one artist of the 20th century that everyone knows, it's Picasso. Here are the 11 works of his that shocked the world and cemented his fame forever.
22 Thought Provoking Winners of Budapest Foto Awards
The Budapest International Foto Awards just published their winners, and the photographs are so thought-provoking and unique, they truly speak for themselves.
I Bet You've Never Seen This Kind of Art Before...
Utilizing the best way of recycling, this artist creates beautiful images.
This Adorable 5 Year Old Plays the Piano Like a Virtuoso
This 5 year old plays piano so well, she's a real master of the craft.
This Young Girl Plays the Violin Like No Other
Masha Marshon impresses everyone with her violin skills. I've never heard such beauty before.
These Animal Portraits Will Make You Feel Serene
Each animal portraits by artist Raku Inoue is made out of seasonal materials, all natural. The result is peaceful and lovely to look at.
These Wind-Powered Moving Sculptures Are Breathtaking!
These breathtaking metal sculptures by genius artist Anthony How move with the wind
INTERACTIVE: Enjoy 15 of the Frank Sinatra's Greatest Hits
Whether you're a long-time fan or discovering his genius for the first time, this journey through Sinatra's greatest hits is sure to stir the soul and swing the heart!
I Was Blown Away by the Detail in these Spectacular Art Works
Calvin Nicholls' technique seems to be a cross between drawing and sculpture. He uses fine lines of an intricate sketch, yet captures three-dimensionality of a statue. This is a collection of his incredible work.
Stunning! These Pencil Drawings Look Like Photographs
Emanuele Dascanio is a true master of his craft, creating incredibly realistic graphite pencil and charcoal portraits.
This Miniature String Quartet Know How to Spring Surprises
This string quartet called 'Joyous String Quartet' are the most talented musicians of their age I've seen so far!
André Rieu Surprises Again with a Musical Extravaganza!
The Zandvoort racetrack in the Netherlands is an unexpected venue for a classical music performance, but conductor and violinist André Rieu recently captivated the audience.
Can You See the Faces in These Mind-Bending Paintings?
Portraits by Oleg Shuplyak are special because they are very clever optical illusions. Can you see all the famous figures in these paintings?
Millions Have Already Watched This Concert by Andre Rieu
Experience an unforgettable 2-Hour concert with André Rieu
This Vertical Performance Is a Dance Unlike Any Other...
This sensual and terrific dance is not only skillful but makes use of a pole in a way we'd never thought to see in a couple dance!
This Street Art Is Simply Stunning. Take a Look...
Street art tends to divide opinion, but there's no denying how good the next 30 pieces of art are. They're bound to grab your attention!
This is Cello Music Like You've Never Heard it Before
These two Croatian cellos players are taking cello playing to the next level. Don't believe us? This video is bound to change your mind.
This 91-Year-Old's Beautiful Portraits Touch Our Souls
Why feel bitter about aging when you could just enjoy life? This is the lesson of some wonderful artwork from a mother and son team from Canada.
Andre Rieu Does it Again: I'll Never Let You Go...
The beauty of this song echos through your soul - i'll never let you go
Music Box: Hear Your Favorite Songs in a Beautiful New Way
Rediscover some of the greatest music hits with this playlist. The musicians reinvented these songs by performing them in vintage styles...
These Four Give a New Meaning to Pole Dancing!
The dance group AIRFOOTWORKS performed their act in the quarterfinals of America's Got Talent, with all four of them dancing on poles...