Donatello, Equestrian Monument of Gattamelata by Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker Donatello, Equestrian Monument of Gattamelata (Erasmo da Narni) , … Equestrian statue of Gattamelata The Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata is a sculpture by Italian early Renaissance artist Donatello, dating from 1453, located in the Piazza del Santo in Padua, Italy, today. How does the equestrian portrait of Marcus Aurelius convey the power of the emperor? For Donatello's equestrian statue, see Gattamelata (Donatello). This 12 foot tall statue lies in Padua, Italy and was erected in 1453. With the orb's His work evidences the shift towards naturalism and perspective which took place in the Early Renaissance. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. "Equestrian Statue" is the title of a 1967 song by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, in which a town square is enlivened by the presence of an equestrian statue of a former dignitary. Omissions? Corrections? 3 (Fig. The Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius is a gilded bronze portrait of the Roman emperor on horseback. The statue is cast in bronze and portrays Gattamelata and his horse as life sized. Created by Donatello, this early Renaissance statue, with its focus on naturalism, became the prototype for Western equestrian statues. This funny-sounding name was the nickname of Erasmo da Narni, a condottiere (mercenary) who fought for Venice and is the person depicted riding the horse. remaining in the location where it was first installed. By the way, Gattamelata means honeyed cat. Another important Paduan work was a bronze Crucifix intended for the altar in the centre of the choir of the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua. Instead he inclusion Donatello elevates Gattamela's social rank. The statue that he made was of a man named Erasmo of Narni, but his nickname was Gattamelata, which means sweet cat. Joachim Poeschke, Thomas Weigel, Britta Kusch-Arnhold (Hgg. It reflects the artistic trends of the Renaissance: naturalism and the careful depiction of forms. A gilded bronze statue, the piece was originally cast using the lost-wax technique, with horse and rider cast in multiple pieces and then soldered together after casting. Installed in 1453, the statue shows Gattamelata (Erasmo da Narmi), the leader of mercenary troops for the Republic of Venice, astride a massive horse. His death in 1443 sparked his family to request for a sculpture to be made in his honor, and it was the first renaissance equestrian statute that was displayed at the time. He mostly served for the Republic of Venice, leading Venetian troops to victory in the Milanese wars He died due to unknown causes at the age of 80 on December 13th, 1466, in Florence, Italy. Donatello's Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata was created during the period of time he spent working in Padua. ), Praemium Virtutis III – Reiterstandbilder von der Antike bis zum Klassizismus. Donatello's depiction of Gattamelata was the earliest equestrian work of its kind created during the Renaissance. Reliefs underneath the doors display putti, Gattamelata's coat of arms, and angelic figures literary - upon Donatello's equestrian statue of Gattamelata and its audi-ences at Padua. He rose in ranks to become the General Commander of The statue established a prototype for equestrian monuments in the West. Gattamelata Name Meaning. It was completed between 1447 and 1450 but was not installed on its pedestal in the Piazza del Santo in front of the Basilica of Sant’Antonio in Padua, Italy, until 1453. Web. The musculature and posture of the horse is reminiscent of Roman classical antiquity while its execution is distinctly naturalistic. Gattamelata is the first Renaissance equestrian statue reintroducing, after more than a millennium, the grandeur of classical equestrian portraiture. A statue of a riderless horse is strictly an "equine statue". 1.4.1 Roman times and earlier The first equestrian statues that fall within my definition were erected in Rome. Updates? If the horse is riderless, the sculpture is usually called an "equine statue". Like the Marcus Aurelius, the Gattamelata ( a nickname meaning The statue that he made was of a man named Erasmo of Narni, but his nickname was Gattamelata, which means sweet cat. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gattamelata, ItalianRenaissance.org - Donatello’s Gattamelata, Donatello: equestrian statue of Gattamelata. His body is in natural proportion to his horse (something that is not always true with other equestrian statues), which indicates that Donatello was trying to achieve a … 1370-1443), the "Gattamelata" (speckled cat) who led Venetian forces to victory in the Milanese wars, stands on a high pedestal before the Basilica of Sant'Antonio. He was a powerful warrior in Italy a long time ago. The statue is an over life-size depiction of the emperor elegantly mounted atop his horse while participating in a public ritual or ceremony; the statue stands approximately 4.24 meters tall. all the armies in the Republic of Venice. The statue is situated on an elliptical base, and Erasmo is dressed in military gear – he is wearing armor and has his sword by his side. Equestrian statuary in the West goes back at least as far as Archaic Greece. In the early 15th century, Venice captured more and more towns on the mainland, and Padua was one of them. For Part 1, go HERE. Unfortunately, the statue of Marcus Aurelius is the only one of these to have … Continue reading "Trends over the ages" positioned Gattamelata upon his horse with a facial expression that reads as unshakably confident. His horse appears powerful and places his front left hoof upon an orb that symbolizes the earth. Among his most famous sculptures are a marble statue of Saint George, two statues of David (an earlier one in marble and the other in bronze) and the life-size bronze Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata. Comparing “Gattemlata” to “ Bartolommeo Colleoni” by Andrea Del Verrocchio, we see that the work also portrays “ an Italian Condottiero, who became captain-general of the Republic of Venice. Like the Marcus Aurelius, the Gattamelata ( a nickname meaning The piece was commissioned by the Republic of Venice to memorialize Erasmo da Narni. It was completed in 1453 and is unique among his works for still remaining in the location where it was first installed. Joachim Poeschke, Thomas Weigel, Britta Kusch-Arnhold (Hgg. It was completed between 1447 and 1450 but was not installed on its pedestal in the Piazza del Santo in front of the Basilica of Sant’Antonio in Padua, Italy, … And, so, we're looking, really, at a military commander who captured Padua. The Equestrian statue of Gattamelata is an early piece that made its way in during the Italian Renaissance. in battle armor. Donatello's equestrian statue of Gattamelata. Bibliography. Undoubtedly the Marcus Aurelius statue inspired Donatello. An equestrian statue is a statue of a rider mounted on a horse, from the Latin " eques ", meaning " knight ", deriving from " equus ", meaning "horse". The piece was commissioned by … He was a powerful warrior in Italy a long time ago. He died due to unknown causes at the age of 80 on December 13th, 1466, in Florence, Italy. After Erasmo of Narni's death in 1443, the mercenary’s family paid for a sculpture in his honor. Donatello's Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata was created during the period of time he spent working in Padua. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Copyright © 2009 - Present www.Donatello.net. 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