The Florentine Masters of Early Renaissance Sculpture   

• Sculpture was the first medium in Renaissance Florence that fully embodied the intellectual and artistic changes of the era. The pivotal 1401 competition for the bronze doors of the Florence Baptistery is often credited as the starting point. Lorenzo Ghiberti’s winning design demonstrated a refined use of perspective and classical balance, setting the stage for Renaissance ideals in visual art. Donatello soon emerged as the era’s most groundbreaking sculptor. His marble sculpture “Saint George,” created around 1415 for the Orsanmichele church, reveals a deep understanding of human anatomy and posture. The figure’s contrapposto stance ? borrowed from antiquity ? creates a lifelike sense of balance. Beneath the statue, Donatello introduced rilievo schiacciato, a shallow relief technique that produced convincing depth and spatial illusion. Nanni di Banco also contributed to this sculptural evolution. His “Four Crowned Saints,” a group of life-sized figures carved for a church niche, interact through subtle gestures and eye contact, reflecting a renewed interest in classical Roman portraiture and group composition. Jacopo della Quercia of Siena brought a powerful, expressive energy to the art form. His “Creation of Eve” relief, part of the facade of San Petronio in Bologna, used expressive gestures and bold forms to convey narrative intensity, later influencing artists like Michelangelo. By the mid-15th century, sculptors such as Desiderio da Settignano and Antonio Rossellino introduced a refined elegance to their work, emphasizing emotional subtlety in religious scenes and portraits. Together, these artists pioneered a visual language rooted in classical ideals and human realism ? laying the foundation for the flourishing of Renaissance art across Europe. Sean Jung R&D Division Director teen/1748243859/1613367716