St. John the Evangelist (1409-1411)

DonatelloDonato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi, better known as Donatello, was born in Florence and received his early artistic training in a goldsmith's workshop, and in the studio of Lorenzo Ghiberti. During his apprenticeship he helped with many statues and essential began his career with his St. John the Evangelist. He spent a majority of his career and completed most of his commissions within Florence, however in 1443 he was called to Padua to create a statue of Erasmo da Narni, a famous mercenary leader who had ruled the city. During his later years he worked mostly with bas-reliefs, eventually passing away in 1466, buried in the Basilica of San Lorenzo, next to Cosimo de' Medici the Elder..

Equestrian statue of Gattamelata(1453)