Donatellos

Donatellos is a rarely used plural form that may appear in English texts when referring to more than one person named Donatello or to multiple works attributed to the Renaissance sculptor Donatello. The name most commonly points to Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi (c. 1386–1466), one of the leading sculptors of the Italian Renaissance. In standard scholarly usage, the artist is referred to in the singular as Donatello, with discussions of his oeuvre framed as Donatello’s works rather than as “the Donatellos.”

Usage of the plural is uncommon and there is no widely recognized entity, movement, or organization officially named Donatellos. When encountered, the term may indicate a collection of works bearing the artist’s name or a casual reference to multiple individuals sharing the given name, but it is not a standard or preferred label in art history.

In discussions of Donatello’s body of work, several pieces are frequently cited as representative of his range and innovation. Notable works include the bronze David (c. 1440s), the monumental equestrian Gattamelata in Padua (c. 1440s–1450s), and the Penitent Magdalene (Marble, c. 1450s). These works illustrate his mastery of naturalistic modeling, expressive emotion, and integration of sculpture into architectural and civic spaces.

See also: Donatello; Italian Renaissance sculpture; Donatello’s works.