Series on Renaissance Donatello elwin

Welcome back to another episode on the L1 YouTube channel, a unique space where you get a glimpse into our awesome philosophy for life and design. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Da Vinci. And here's your fun fact of the day, the Ninja Turtle Donnie, or Donatello, has been the most highly favored for the way he fights, meaning he's usually the brains behind the many operations because of his ability and intellect to invent tools and techy gadgets. He's not so good when it comes to his combat prowess, but regardless, he contributes as much as any of the other ninjas through his IQ of over 160. So far, we've talked about two prominent artists in our Renaissance series videos, Michelangelo and Raphael. Today, we're introducing you to the first and foremost artist out of the four pioneers of Renaissance art. Remember the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Well, and you probably guessed it, we are indeed speaking of Donatello, properly named Donato di Niccolo di Betto Barbi, who was born in Florence in the year 1386. Having been the forefather of the era by bringing revolutionary techniques of painting, but even more so in the arena of sculpture, Donatello dramatically influenced the three other artists who came after him, and whether or not they accredited him for their inspiration, it's common knowledge that he did, in fact, impact their artwork. Unlike the precocious but orphaned Raphael, Donatello had some notable advantages to the start of his career, such as his father having played a large role in the Arte della Lana, which was the greatest organization of Florence at the time, driven by world merchants and businessmen. This allowed Donatello to make a significant name for himself, as he was often put in charge of the carving decorations, so to speak, of important buildings in the church of Orsa Michelle. What truly sets Donatello apart from every other artist is that he didn't fear venturing out into different techniques and execution of his work, particularly his sculptures. Since he was at the very conception of the humanism philosophy, he strayed away from the stoic and rather lifeless sculptures of the Gothic and medieval era. He was the first one to depict the subjects, no matter which political or biblical figures they were, with highly emotive facial expressions or expressions that were downright the opposite of what most people were used to creating and accepting at the time. And here are a few excellent examples. First up, the front statue of David. Radically different from the old Gothic figures, this statue wowed the public because of Donatello's depiction of such a courageous and manly biblical character. Not only did he create an extremely youthful looking David, but he also made him look quite delicate in stature and musculature, as well as somewhat effeminate. Having also brought nude sculptures back into the scene after many, many years, Donatello displayed his skill in showing musculature in a most realistic way, like David placing all of his weight on his right leg, which emphasized realistic movement. Another amazing example is a Magdalene Penitente, wooden sculpture. Most definitely, this particular work can create mixed feelings all over the place, does it not? At least it did for us. While others were busy creating Mary Magdalene statues that were pleasant, tame, smooth surface and marble stone, and even fancy at times, Donatello opted for carving this figure in the most humanized possible way. The type of wood that was utilized for this easily rendered a rugged texture that symbolized the difficult past, as well as the new self-denying nature of the restored Mary Magdalene. Her humble life and character are now marked by hard work, perhaps prolonged fasting and endless hours of prayer, which would allow her little devotion to anything of the world. And that, we believe, is what Donatello wanted to convey in this intriguing statue. Donatello was a pro in bringing organic and relatable life into all of his masterpieces. This au naturel vibe that he produced throughout his career, we can say, is really similar to the Japanese wabi-sabi concept. The rawness of texture, the minimal and unglorified beauty within each piece, all point to unfiltered beauty. And isn't that what we all truly long for, especially in this day where everything is filtered for the sake of perfection? And that wraps up our third installment on the Renaissance series. What are your thoughts on Donatello? Do you find his humanistic artwork to be refreshing or does it make you feel uncomfortable? We so hope you enjoyed this video. Don't forget to subscribe to our channel and stay tuned for our fourth Master of the Renaissance.