Donatello: Renaissance Genius

Excellent three week course from Paula Nuttall on Donatello.

I always enjoy Paula’s courses for her lively delivery, enthusiasm and deep knowledge. She always overruns but that is fine by me as it is all good.

Week one concentrated on the life and career of the artist looking at works in chronological order and examining any documentary evidence. It was good to get an overview of where he had worked and when and the rapid run through works set us up for the next two weeks.

Week two looked at the materials he used and the techniques needed to work with them. Starting with marble we then went through bronze, wood, ceramics, a local stone called Macigno and glass. She talked us through a selection of masterpieces with super illustrations including a number from the current exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Finally in the last week we looked at what Alberti described as “movements of the soul” ie how Donatello expressed narrative and emotion through body language and facial expression as well as his use of linear perspective. It was fun to look at several works in some detail including her discussing possible meanings of the famous bronze David.

I loved the way this course revisited a number of the works and looked at them from different aspects rather than spending long periods on one piece. It made it easier to absorb an idea or theme. I can’t wait to go back to the exhibition and look at it with all this extra knowledge.


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