Donatello and the sculpture of the Renaissance

Think of the Italian Renaissance, and what names spring to mind? Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael possibly? But before them was Donatello. Jo Walton made a return visit to Horsham this September, and held us spell-bound with her presentation on this Florentine master sculptor. In a career spanning approximately 60 years, Donatello produced a vast output of work, much of it under the patronage of the Medici family in Florence. As Jo pointed out, a lot of his work remains on the structures it was created to adorn, in Florence and other Italian cities. The discovery of a Donatello original bronze being used as an ashtray should send us all to check in our cupboards and attics, just in case! Jo brought a learned and personal touch to this subject, and provided a fantastic start to our 2023-24 programme of lectures.