DonatelloItalian, 1386–1466Virgin and Child
May one see it?
Not receiving at present
Victoria and Albert Museum
London, United Kingdom
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- 7 days ago
- In this state since
- Sep 25, 2026
- Source
- The museum's own collection data
About the sculpture
This relief represents the Virgin and Child, and is made after Dontatello in ca. 1400-1450, in Italy.
The relief is an enlarged copy of the so-called Madonna of the Clouds of Donatello in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (H. 33.5 cm; W. 33.2 cm). The scheme differs from that of Donatello's original in that it is slightly extended at the top and sides, and slightly reduced at the base.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Particulars
- Accession number
- A.36-1953
What it shows
In the catalog
Sources
- Victoria and Albert Museum: the museum's own open data · fetched 7 days ago
- Image: Victoria and Albert Museum — © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Meanwhile, in the life of Donatello
The whole lifec. 1400
Friendship with Brunelleschi in Pistoia
In Pistoia the thirteen- or fourteen-year-old Donatello helped Filippo Brunelleschi with the silver figures of the altar of Saint James. From then on the two masters remained friends for life.
1402–1404
A trip to Rome to study antiquity
From 1402 to 1404 Donatello and Brunelleschi visited Rome to study the “antiques”; according to Vasari they dug on the Roman Forum and were almost killed after being taken for treasure hunters. Donatello drew fragments of ancient statues.
1404–1407
Apprentice and assistant in Ghiberti's workshop
In 1404–1407 Donatello is recorded as an apprentice, and for the last few months as a salaried assistant, in Lorenzo Ghiberti's studio, apparently working on the bronze doors of the Florence Baptistery.
1423
“The Feast of Herod” and the start of his work in bronze
By 1423 Ghiberti had not even started work on the reliefs for the Siena Baptistery font, and one of them, “The Feast of Herod”, was given to Donatello instead. That year marks the start of his documented work in bronze: he also received commissions for “Saint Louis of Toulouse” and a reliquary bust of Saint Rossore.
c. 1425
Partnership with Michelozzo
Around 1425 Donatello entered into a formal partnership with Michelozzo, an architect and sculptor about ten years younger: Donatello had too much work and was poor at organising a workshop, at which Michelozzo excelled, while Michelozzo wanted to extract himself from an arrangement with Ghiberti. Both had very good relations with the Medici.
1443
Called to Padua: the Gattamelata monument
In 1443 the heirs of the condottiere Erasmo da Narni, known as Gattamelata, who had died that year, called Donatello to Padua. He spent about ten years there, with a studio near the Santo and several assistants.
