Donatello’s St George

Donatello’s St George (1416) in the Bargello in Florence. A slight turning of the torso suggests movement and not only shows Donatello being influenced by ancient statuary but also a clever use of space to make the sculpture appears larger than the restricted niche allows. The main sculpture shows St George with a huge shield, as the work was commissioned by the local shield makers’ guild. The customary slaying of the dragon is done in the predella below (although the Italians prefer to refer to it as liberating the princess).