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Donatello's Bronze "David" and "Judith" as Metaphors of Medici Rule in Florence on JSTOR

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Summary

This article discusses Donatello's sculptures, "David", "Judith", and "Holofernes", which were displayed in the Medici Palace from 1464-1495. The article proposes that the sculptures were likely intended to evoke John of Salisbury's writings and Athenian statues known as the "Tyrannicides", as well as to establish the Medici as defenders of Florentine liberty. The article is published by the College Art Association, which is dedicated to promoting excellence in scholarship and teaching in the history and criticism of the visual arts.

Q&As

What sculptures were displayed in the Medici Palace from 1464-1495?
Donatello's bronze "David" and "Judith" and "Holofernes" were displayed in the Medici Palace from 1464-1495.

How does the inscription on the sculptures relate to Florentine liberty?
The inscription on the sculptures praises "David" as a tyrant slayer, which accords with the idea of the Medici as defenders of Florentine liberty.

What is the mission of The Art Bulletin?
The mission of The Art Bulletin is to publish leading scholarship in the English language in all aspects of art history as practiced in the academy, museums, and other institutions.

What does the College Art Association promote?
The College Art Association promotes excellence in scholarship and teaching in the history and criticism of the visual arts and in creativity and technical skill in the teaching and practices of art.

What permissions are granted by the College Art Association for photocopying texts?
The College Art Association grants authorization to photocopy texts for internal or personal use (beyond that permitted by sections 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law), or for one-time, limited-term nonprofit educational use in coursepacks or closed-access academic course Intranet websites, without charge.

AI Comments

👍 This article presents a great example of how art history can be used to understand the ideas and values of a society. The article provides evidence and analysis to demonstrate how Donatello's sculptures represent the Medici ruling in Florence.

👎 This article is quite dense and could be better organized to make it easier to understand. Additionally, the sources used in the article could be better integrated into the argument to make it more compelling.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about Donatello's bronze sculptures of David, Judith and Holofernes and how they were used as metaphors of Medici rule in Florence. The article looks at a recently discovered inscription praising David as a tyrant slayer and how this and the sculptures relate to John of Salisbury's writings and the Athenian statues known as the "Tyrannicides".

Friend: Wow, that's really interesting. What are the implications of this article?

Me: Well, this article suggests that the Medici were using these sculptures to position themselves as defenders of Florentine liberty. It also highlights the power of art as a form of political communication and suggests that art can be used to influence public opinion and shape the course of history.

Action items

Research the history of the Medici family and their rule in Florence.
Analyze the symbolism of Donatello's sculptures and how they relate to the Medici rule.
Compare and contrast the Medici rule in Florence to other historical examples of rule.

Technical terms

Donatello: Italian sculptor of the early Renaissance, best known for his bronze statue of David.
David: Biblical figure, the second king of Israel, renowned for his courage and wisdom.
Judith: Biblical figure, a Jewish heroine who saved her people from the Assyrians by killing their leader, Holofernes.
Holofernes: Assyrian general in the Book of Judith, killed by Judith.
John of Salisbury: English philosopher and statesman of the 12th century.
Tyrannicides: Statues of the Athenian heroes Harmodius and Aristogeiton, who assassinated the tyrant Hipparchus in 514 BC.
Medici: A powerful Italian banking family and political dynasty that ruled Florence from the 15th to the 18th century.
College Art Association: A professional association of art historians, artists, and art educators founded in 1911.
JSTOR: An online digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources.
Peer Review: A process in which experts in a field review a work before it is published to ensure its accuracy and quality.
Copyright Law: A set of laws that protect the rights of authors and creators of original works.