14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A genius, October 29, 2001
This review is from: Donatello - The First Modern Sculptor (DVD)
Charles Avery is perhaps one of the best art historians today. His biography of Donatello is an endearing book. Since he wrote the script, it will be of no surprise that this DVD is a treasure. Donatello was a charismatic character, precursor of all the greatest artists including painters and sculptors who lived during his time. To be able to see all of Donatello's works in one sitting is Charles Avery's gift to the arts and to humanity.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing, December 12, 2004
This review is from: Donatello - The First Modern Sculptor (DVD)
Having been to Florence several times over the past few years and gained an appreciation of Donatello's work (especially his wonderful statue of Mary Magdalene), I was looking forward to viewing this DVD. Unfortunately, it proved disappointing. The photography is subpar (partially because many of the statues carried the accumulated grime of centuries, but also due to unimaginative framing), the commentary pedestrian.
Donatello was one of the geniuses of the Renaissance; he deserves better than this.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good DVD, April 9, 2011
This review is from: Donatello - The First Modern Sculptor (DVD)
This is without a doubt one of the best produced art documentaries I have seen. There really is something for just about everyone. Those who only have a casual interest can view any number of beautiful works of art before they tire of it and turn it off. Those who are more deeply interested will appreciate the nice balance of biographical materials and sources of Donatello's inspiration.
One of the things I first noticed was the way the light reflected from his bronzes. A few minutes later, a sculptor who had studied his work illustrated how these innovative light effects had been achieved. Similarly, another expert in relief carving, demonstrated the new techniques Donatello used to produce his bas reliefs. It was as if he merely drew a line on a piece of paper and in doing so turned hard stone into something light and airy.
The opening scene of the DVD is the pouring of molten glass into a mould made from one of Donatello's terracotta sculptures.The actual terracotta which is a devotional piece placed on the outside wall of a private home, has long been thought to be a Donatello. An art historian climbed a ladder, opened the glass door and carefully examined the piece and determined that the piece bore the signature workmanship of the Master but failed to connect the terracotta to the glass roundel which had been made in the opening scenes. As an artist, I am a potter who incorporates sculptural elements in my pottery, I immediately understood the significance of the historian being able to insert his fingertips behind the Madonna's jaw but the narrator failed to explain that this proved the terracotta was an original work not merely a reproduction. Only sculptors or professional mould makers would understand the technical principles of undercuts and why these undercuts would have made it impossible to remove a reproduction of this particular piece from a mould. A one sentence explanation would have made this point clear for the viewer. This and under lit interior shots of the bronzes in the church of San Lorenzo and the Bargello are the only flaws in the documentary.
There is a newer version available but since I have not seen it, I do not know whether it is the same DVD which was re-issued with a different cover or if it really corrects the lighting problems mentioned above.
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