A History of Art for Beginners and Students: Painting, Sculpture, ArchitectureWaters, Clara Erskine Clement
History
A History of Art for Beginners and Students: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture
Waters, Clara Erskine Clement
Art -- History
Neither the metal works nor the paintings which Verocchio did remain,
and after about 1466 he devoted himself entirely to sculpture. It is
difficult to associate him with Donatello; his execution is finished
like most sculptors who were also metal-workers; his nude parts are true
to nature, but not graceful or attractive, and his draperies are in
small folds, which give a tumbled, crumpled effect rather than that of
the easy, graceful falling of soft material.
His best works are a David in the Museum of the Bargello, Florence; a
bronze Genius pressing a Dolphin to itself on a fountain in the court of
the Palazzo Vecchio (Fig. 87); an equestrian statue of Colleoni before
the Church of San Giovanni e Paolo, Venice (Fig. 88); and a group of St.
Thomas examining the Wounds of Christ at the Church of Or San Michele,
Florence. This last work is in his best and latest manner; the
expression is powerful, but the drapery is still very faulty.
[Illustration: FIG. 87.--BOY WITH DOLPHIN. _By Verocchio._]
Although this equestrian statue is called by Verocchio's name, he did
not live to see it completed; and though it was without doubt made from
his design, still some credit for its execution is due to Alessandro
Leopardo, who finished it. When Colleoni died he left all his large
fortune to the Republic of Venice on condition that they should erect
an equestrian monument to him in the square of St. Mark. As it was
forbidden by the laws of Venice to place such things in the Piazza of
St. Mark, it was placed in its present position, before the Church of
San Giovanni e Paolo, on the square of the School of St. Mark, and it
was thought that this answered the requirements of the will.
[Illustration: FIG. 88.--STATUE OF COLLEONI. _By Verocchio._]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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