the cross were those of an ordinary peasant, and could not worthily represent the Saviour. Donatello was stung to the quick, yet he replied with gentleness: "If it were as easy to do as to criticize, you would be ready to admit that my figure is the figure of the Christ, and not that of the peasant. Still, do you, in your turn, take a piece of wood, and see if you can make a better one." Some months afterwards Brunellesco invited Donatello to breakfast, and having filled his workman's apron with eggs and fruit and other provisions, desired him to make his way to the studio; he (Brunellesco) would follow him shortly. Donatello, on entering the studio, looked up and saw in front of him a crucifix of such exceedingly beautiful workmanship that he threw up his hands in an ecstasy of astonishment, forgetting the eggs and other provisions in his apron, which rolled out upon the ground. Brunellesco, who had followed close upon the steps of Donatello, perceived with infinite satisfaction the success of his little stratagem; but Donatello, with the humility which was the most striking trait of his character, frankly confessed: "To you it is given to represent the form of Jesus Christ. I can only represent that of a peasant." The anecdote, perhaps already too notorious, is cited because it not only illustrates the character of Donatello, but the stages by which he attained to the perfection of his art. His direct study from nature, without the chastening influence derived from the knowledge of the antique, produced the result, happily for art, justly censured by Brunellesco. But the influence of nature, when afterwards balanced by careful study of the antique in Rome, under the guidance of the same great master, resulted in that peculiar delicacy of form and modelling, which, added to his previous vigour and freedom, gave to his work an individual character and charm as yet unrivalled. The frank criticism of Brunellesco in no way altered the relationship between the brother artists, except perhaps in drawing still closer the bonds that united them, and they worked together in Rome with the utmost diligence; the one in his research after architectural models, the other in close observation of the classical statues, bringing back to Florence the power to produce works of art which now, after the lapse of five hundred years, make the centre of attraction for the Florentines in the midst of their triumphant festivities. The sculpture of the Annunciation, for the tomb of the Cavalcanti in Santa Croce, was the work by which Donatello first gained his reputation in Florence. No sooner was it completed than his services were in immediate request for the Duomo, and, during the years 1408-12, he was busily engaged, with other artists, in preparing statues of saints and prophets for the old façade. Some of these have perished, others were moved inside when the façade was destroyed; and among these were a very powerful statue of St. John the Evangelist, another of a Prophet, and another of Joshua, all effigies of citizens of the time, and representations of unmistakeable truth. To this period also belongs the famous statue of King David, "detta Zuccone," executed for one of the niches of the Campanile, where it still remains, which, by its very designation, bears witness to the uncompromising truth displayed by the sculptor in his study from nature; the bald head (hence the title of Zuccone) and the large forehead being an exact reproduction of his model, a certain Giovanni di Barduccio Chierichini, so true to life that it is said the last stroke of the chisel was accompanied with the passionate exclamation of "Parla!" from its creative genius. The same consciousness of power and successful achievement made Michel Angelo, in the following century, demand, in a frenzy of enthusiasm, of his stone Moses, the reason of his silence. There is, indeed, a close analogy between the works of the two great masters, alike in the boldness of their conception and their complete mastery over their art; and the Italians are wont to say that either the spirit of Donatello inspired the works of St. Buonarotti, or the spirit of Buonarotti worked by anticipation in Donatello. Again, it is worthy of notice, that upon both artists was conferred, by their admiring contemporaries, the epithet of "terribile." As applied to the works of Donatello the word would be more aptly rendered by "astonishing" than by any other word, because it conveys the effect produced by the grandeur and power of his manner; but when applied to the Last Judgment of Michael Angelo, we can readily understand how both as to subject and manner the word may be taken in its full and literal significance, when we find it in the well-known line "Di Michel-Angelo la terribil via." Yet, however sublime in conception, and powerful in treatment, the works of Buonarotti must yield to Donatello in a certain simple spontaneous dignity, which cannot be produced by study or art, but which, as the unbidden impulse of the soul, leaves its type for ever in the work. Such a work is the statue of S. Giorgio by Donatello. It was executed for the church of Or. San Michele, for the Company of the "Corazzai e Spadai" (Armourers), one of the twenty-one minor arts of Florence represented in the "Corteggio Storico" on the occasion of the recent festivities. The Company were fortunate in their choice of an artist, when, in 1418, they selected Donatello to represent for all time their patron saint. The conscious power, the martial bearing of the young soldier, the fearless penetration of his gaze, aptly represent the ideal Christian knight at the period of the flower of true chivalry, before it was overlaid by sentiment and romance. Never was firm and dauntless courage more adequately represented, and the stone lips need not move to utter the sentiment "Crains Dieu. . . et n'aie point d'autre crain te," &c. No one can look at the San Giorgio without being convinced that such a conception could alone proceed from a mind of such singleness of motive, such utter forgetfulness of self, as was that of Donatello. Had there been no record of his character, it might have been read in the countenance of that statue, for there is no mistaking the direct purpose concentrated there, not counteracted by any sordid consideration, or unworthy fears. The San Giorgio may on this account be looked upon as a typical work, besides being one of the finest productions of Donatello's genius. It caused Benvenuto Cellini to describe him as the greatest sculptor that ever existed, and a whole book was written in praise of this one work. Contemporaneously with his work for Or. San Michele, Donatello executed in rapid succession statues for the niches of the Campanile, to correspond with the Zuccone already alluded to. All were, like the "Zuccone," studies from life. The statue of St. John the Baptist reproduced the effigy of Francesco Soderini; the third, called either Jeremiah or Solomon, because it was inscribed with both names, the one appearing upon the roll in his hand, the other upon the plinth, is also known to have been taken from life. The group of Abraham and Isaac, also occupying a niche of the Campanile was a joint work executed by Donatello and Nanni del Bianco. But it is not the intention of this essay to attempt anything like a complete catalogue of the works of Donatello. That task has been adequately performed elsewhere, by any one of the numerous catalogues and guides called forth by the occasion in Florence, and to reproduce them would be at once tedious and unsatisfactory; nor could the subject be compressed into so small a space, for Donatello was one of the most prolific of all the Italian artists, because of the extraordinary rapidity of his work. This was the result of a conception fully matured before he attempted to execute it, but when once the idea was clearly defined in his mind, it was carried into effect without any hesitation, doubt, or delay. Vasari, commenting on this, observes: "Donato was resolute and rapid, his facile hand rapidly accomplished the design he had in view, and he was always better than his word.” During the latter half of Donatello's career, dating from the year 1425, he entered into partnership with the great architect Michelozzo, who had previously often been associated with him in the commissions which he received. Donatello, in his return to the State, describes him as his compagno d'arte, affirming that "they exercised their art together, designing, modelling, and executing statues and bas-reliefs." Together they worked at the famous marble pulpit at Prato, where the influence of Michelozzo appears in the perfect elegance of the architectural proportions, and Donatello surpasses himself in his favourite subject, the representation of childhood dancing in all its freshness and gaiety. Some critics have objected to the incongruity of a subject so frivolous as the dance being represented upon a pulpit, but this can only appear a hypercriticism to those who remember the concluding exhortations of the Psalms, to say nothing of their author, described by Dante in the Purgatorio: Trescando alzato l'umile Salmista; E più e men che Rè era in quel caso. It would almost seem as if the previous passage descriptive of the sculpture might be taken as a prophecy of the beauty of the workmanship of Donatello : Esser di marmo candido ed adorno Michelozzo and Donatello were both protected and encouraged by Cosimo de' Medici. They worked jointly for him in erecting the tomb of Pope John XXIII. in the Battisterio, and afterwards in San Lorenzo. For Donatello Cosimo Pater Patriæ had a great predilection, and to the influence of his patronage is due the famous statue of the youthful David with the head of Goliath at his feet, one of the greatest among the masterpieces of Donatello. The statue of his patron is also extant, where the furrows of thought upon the countenance, and the lines of age, tell the tale of its truth to life, while the drapery worthy of a Roman statue shows the result of the artist's careful and thorough study of the antique. To the same patronage we owe the group of Judith and Holophernes, afterwards, by an irony of fate, employed by the fickle Florentines as a menace to the family for whom it had been executed. When the Medici were driven out of Florence in 1495 it was removed out of the Loggia de' Lanzi, and placed near the gate of the Palazzo Vecchio with the inscription, " Exemplum salutis publicæ cives posuere." But when the Medici returned to power it was again relegated to the Loggia, and the group of Hercules and Cacus was substituted by way of an instructive lesson to the people. By the direction of Cosimo, Donatello was next instructed to adorn the Church of San Lorenzo; rebuilt by Giovanni Averardo de 5 VOL. X. Medici in 1417, it has never since been dissociated from their name, while it has become, under their patronage, a very treasure-house of works of art to which each century has made some contribution ; nor must we forget the last, the sepulchral monument of which the first stone was laid by the Marchese Torrigiani on the 11th of last May, forming one of the striking features of the festivities. It was, indeed, the right spot to choose for his last resting-place, for it is the scene of some of his best and most conscientious work. Eager to repay the benefits heaped upon his patron, it was a labour of love to raise a monument worthy of the family name in the tomb of Giovanni Averardo de' Medici, and Piccarda Bueri, his wife, putting into it his most careful and beautiful workmanship, so as to make it one of the rarest works of art. The decorations of the Sagrestia Vecchia, the bust representing the Patron Saints of the Medici Family-San Lorenzo, Santo Stefano, San Cosimo e Damiano-the marvellous gates of bronze divided into ten compartments with forty-six statues of apostles, martyrs, confessors, and saints, were the next production of his fertile conception and his lavish facile hand. The Ambones, or pulpit, were the work of a later period, the last design of his old age, and their execution was entrusted to a pupil, Bertoldo di Giovanni, who showed himself worthy of so great a master. Those who have had the good fortune to visit the "Mostre Donatelliane" in the Palazzo Pretorio will know that Florence can boast many other works by Donatello, besides those already cited. Nor was the fame of this prolific artist confined to his native city. He worked for the Cathedral at Siena; he adorned the Baptistery at Orvieto; commissions were showered upon him from Mantua, Ferrara, Modena, and Faenza. One of the most memorable periods of his life was the call to Padua, where he cast the celebrated statue of Erasmo di Narni, called "Il Gattamelata," a celebrated Condottiero of the Venetian Republic, which not only rivals the statue of Bartolommeo Colleoni, by Verrocchio, but has been favourably compared with the Marcus Aurelius at Rome. Moreover, to Donatello belongs the credit of the first modern equestrian statue, a task worthy of his powerful genius and undaunted energy. A careful study of the works of Donatello reveals characteristics which show three distinct epochs in his long and industrious career, and the alteration of his "manner" by which he gradually attained the ideal type ever steadfastly before him. The first type of the crude realism is determined by the statues in the Campanile, the San Giovanni Evangelista in the Duomo, and the other religious statues belonging to that period. The lesson of the |