File:Donatello (1904) (14781708115).jpg

Identifier: donatello00meye (find matches)
Title: Donatello
Year: 1904 (1900s)
Authors: Meyer, Alfred Gotthold Konody, Paul G. (Paul George), 1872-1933
Subjects: Donatello, 1386?-1466
Publisher: Bielefeld and Leipzig : Velhagen & Klasing
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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ked Isaackneels in chains at Abrahamsfeet. The action is dramaticallyconceived. The patriarch hasalready seized the boys hairand holds his knife in readi-ness. But at this very momenthe hears the rescuing message,for he turns his head sharplyaside, as though he were liste-ning.— Never before had Do-natello presented such a mo-mentary conception, whereasBrunelleschi had already utilizedit for the same subject in thecompetition for the Baptistery.But his was a narrative relief,whilst on the Campanile thewhole composition had to beapplied to the essential require-ments of a statue for a niche.This is just, what the artisthas skilfully achieved. Talland erect, the mighty figureof the patriarch dominates thegeneral effect sufficiently to Fig. 28. Prophet (Habakuk?). Florence. Campanile. give a StatUCSqUe imprCSSion, ^^■■°- and yet the contrast of the After a photograph from the original by Alinari Brothers, • r ^^ j Florence. (To pages 29 and 38.) tWO figUrCS IS fully aCCCntUatcd.
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35 It will never be possible to de-cide, whether this compositionwas invented by Donatello orby Rosso, but the effectivenessof it, which borders on man-nerism, is not in keeping withDonatellos art at that time.It is all the more important tolay stress upon the inner con-nection between this Abraham-group and some of Donatelloslater works. The motive ofthe propped-up foot, which, bythe way, Donatello had alreadyused for one of his Uttle pro-phets on the cathedral porch,becomes henceforth one ofhis favourite devices, and thewhole composition is echoed byhis Judith, and continues tolive in varied form in the plasticart of the late renaissance. Thehead of Abraham is alreadyconceived in its sense: in thisold mans head is already some-thing of Michelangelos terri-bilita (Fig.22). There is muchin the execution, for which noanalogy can be found in theworks of Donatello, which havehitherto been mentioned. Thisapplies to the drapery as well, asto the nude, but above all to thegeneral treatment

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