Editing Donatello (section)

==Early career==
Donatello's first appearance in any documentary records is unpromising; in January 1401, at the age of about 15, he was accused in [[Pistoia]], 25 miles from Florence and then controlled by it, of hitting a German with a stick, drawing blood.<ref>Coonin, 18; Walker, 6, 9.</ref>  He was probably there with his father, who had an official job in Pistoia at the time, while Buonaccorso Pitti was the Captain, or governor.<ref>Walker, 9.</ref> While there Donatello appears to have befriended, and perhaps worked with, [[Filippo Brunelleschi]], who was some ten years older (born in 1377), and although not yet a master [[goldsmith]], working on silver figures for an altar in [[Pistoia Cathedral]].  What experience Donatello had to assist him, if that was what he was doing, is unclear.<ref>Coonin, 18-19; Walker, 4, says Brunelleschi became a master in 1398.</ref> 

[[File:02 Natività2.JPG|thumb|Ghiberti and workshop, the ''Nativity'' relief of the north doors for the [[Florence Baptistery]] from probably before 1407]]

Both Donatello and Brunelleschi returned to Florence in early 1401, in time for Brunelleschi to take part in the famous competition for the Baptistery doors, often seen as the start of Florentine Renaissance sculpture.<ref>Seymour, 36: "The story of the competition for the great doors of bronze is perhaps the most familiar in all Early Renaissance art history"; Coonin, 20: "In most art historical narratives the year 1401 introduces the formal beginnings of a revolution in art, the spark of the so-called Renaissance".</ref> Seven sculptors were invited to submit trial panels, for which they were paid; Vasari's ''Life'' of Brunelleschi wrongly claims that Donatello was one of them, but they were all more experienced figures.  Following Vasari and Brunelleschi's biographer [[Antonio Manetti]], the unexpected result declared by the 34 judges was that the entries by two young Florentines, [[Lorenzo Ghiberti]] and Brunelleschi, were the best. An attempt was made to get the two to share the commission, but amid bitter recriminations that lasted for years, this failed and Ghiberti was given the whole commission.<ref>Seymour, 36-40 (lists all 7); Avery, 33-37; Coonin, 20-24; Vasari, 77-78; Hartt, 158-161; Holt, 173-177 gives Manetti's account.</ref> Ghiberti himself on the other hand (and the only contemporary voice) claimed in his ''Commentarii'' that the vote went unanimously for him, including the competing artists.<ref>English translation in: Creighton E. Gilbert: ''Italian Art. 1400-1500. Sources and Documents''. Northwestern University Press, Evanston (Ill.) 1992 (1980), ISBN 0-8101-1034-2, 84.</ref>

Any part played by the adolescent Donatello, presumably assisting Brunelleschi with his trial piece, is unknown. After the final result in late 1402, or early 1403, they seem to have left for Rome together, staying until at least the next year, to study the artistic and architectural remains left by [[Ancient Rome]], then very abundant, though for the most part still buried.<ref>For a short survey on antique art that was known at the beginning of the Quattrocento,  see {{cite book|ref=Krautheimer|author1=Krautheimer, Richard|author2=Krautheimer-Hess, Trude|title= Lorenzo Ghiberti |series= Princeton Monographs in Art and Archaeology |volume= 31 |orig-date= 1958 |year= 1982 |edition= 1st Pb. of 2nd |publisher=Princeton University Press |location=Princeton |pages=277ff}}</ref> They were very early in this effectively archaeological pursuit, which included measuring remains, and hiring labourers to excavate.  The main source for this period is the biography of Brunelleschi by [[Antonio Manetti]] (1423–1497), who knew both men, but it was written after their deaths in the 1470s.<ref>Holt, 178-179 prints Manetti's account.</ref> 

[[File:Donatello, Young Prophet, c1406, Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Florence.jpg|thumb|100px|left|''Young Prophet'', 1406, Museo dell'Opera del Duomo]]

Vasari just repeats a shorter version of Manetti's account, according to which both men were able to support themselves by jobs for Roman [[goldsmith]]s, which probably represented important training for Donatello. Perhaps they were also able to sell excavated sculptures.<ref>Coonin, 24-26; Walker, 26, 30, 34.</ref> Brunelleschi subsequently became a highly important architect, while Donatello began his career in sculpture.

Donatello is recorded as working as an apprentice, and for the last few months on a salary, in the studio of [[Lorenzo Ghiberti]] in 1404–1407,<ref>Seymour, 50.</ref> apparently working on the workshop's main project, the bronze doors of the [[Florence Baptistery]],<ref>Coonin, 26.</ref> and from 1406 on he began stone carving at the cathedral for the [[Porta della Mandorla]] on its north side, a large project that was still some years from completion. He was paid in November 1406 for a figure of a prophet on the door, most probably the one for the left pinnacle (now in the [[Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Florence)|Museo dell' Opera del Duomo]], the cathedral museum).{{efn|For the discussion of its identification see Janson 1957, 219-222; Seymour, 51, for the Porta della Mandorla project: 31-35, 51-52 and index; Coonin, 29. 
Originally Donatello had a commission for two statues that Francesco Caglioti finally identified as an ''Annunciation'' group for the tympanum of the portal. An already finished ensemble probably by Giovanni d'Ambrogio was to remain inside the cathedral due to its beauty after it was disposed there while the portal was still under construction. When it was decided nevertheless in 1414 to install these statues at there originally intended place in the tympanum, Donatello was told to rework his already begun annunciation angel into a prophet figure.  The statue he was paid for and is now in the cathedral museum, has several remaining features of a Gabriel that are not to be found in prophet figures. First of all prophets were always shown as old men and with a scroll as their main insignia, which Donatello obviously couldn't add anymore. The figure was originally in three-quarter view, turned to the right stepping forward (towards Mary), the parts not supposed to be seen are not worked out, especially around his left foot (See Janson 1957 II, pl.  473a and b). Finally he carries a wreath of leaves on his head which is unusual for a prophet but suits an angel. For the former angel to be installed on the pinnacle some profile of the wall behind it had to be cut off.  Nanni di Banco followed him in this accidentally new concept of a prophet figure, but his was suited for the other pinnacle, adding a scroll and not adapting the  wreath. - Today the tympanum is decorated with a mosaic of the ''Annunciation''. See Caglioti 2022, 28-32, for the profile cut off the wall see Janson 1957 II, plate 473b (who yet excluded the ''Young Prophet''  from Donatello's catalog).}} [[Pietro di Giovanni D'Ambrogio|Giovanni d'Ambrogio]], whose work, according to Kreytenberg, "provided a decisive impetus for the emergence of Renaissance sculpture", has been described by Manfred Wundram as the "true mentor of Donatello".<ref name="Kreytenberg2012">{{cite book |last1=Kreytenberg |first1=G. |editor1-last=Hourihane |editor1-first=Colum |title=The Grove Encyclopedia of Medieval Art and Architecture |year=2012 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-539536-5 |page=3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FtlMAgAAQBAJ&pg=RA2-PA4}}</ref>