St George
Statue
1415-1417 (sculpted), ca. 1864 (cast)
1415-1417 (sculpted), ca. 1864 (cast)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Donatello’s reputation as the great sculptor of the early Italian Renaissance was firmly established by the middle of the 19th century. This early work combines a classicising pose with a naturalistic portrayal of a youthful face. The original marble sculpture was executed for the external niche of the Armourers' Guild on the church of Or San Michele, Florence. The plaster cast was made by Monsieur Desachy, a Parisian cast-maker in 1864.
Plaster casts were especially sought after during the 19th century, when reproductions of great works of sculpture and architecture were thought crucial for the training of artists. A separating substance was applied to the surface of the work to be reproduced, and a plaster mould made from that. The mould would then be used to make any number of additional plaster copies. These were often sold to artists, and later in the century to art colleges for study purposes.
Plaster casts were especially sought after during the 19th century, when reproductions of great works of sculpture and architecture were thought crucial for the training of artists. A separating substance was applied to the surface of the work to be reproduced, and a plaster mould made from that. The mould would then be used to make any number of additional plaster copies. These were often sold to artists, and later in the century to art colleges for study purposes.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | St George (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Plaster cast, painted |
| Brief description | Plaster Cast, painted plaster, after the original marble statue of St. George in the Museo Nazionale (Bargello), Florence, by Donatello, Italy (Florence), 1415-17, cast by Monsieur Desachy, France (Paris), ca. 1864 |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | By the mid 19th century, Donatello was well known as the greatest sculptor of the early Renaissance. This plaster cast was made in 1864 by a firm based
in Paris. It shows an early work by Donatello that combines a classical pose with a naturalistic face. The original marble figure was made for the Church of Orsanmichele in Florence.(2014) |
| Object history | Purchased from Monsieur Desachy, the caster, in 1864 for £7 4s (180 francs). |
| Historical context | Executed for the niche of the Arte dei Corazzai, the Armourers' guild, on the church of 'Or San Michele', Florence. The original figure was transferred from Or San Michele to the Museo Nazionale in 1892 and replaced in the niche by a bronze copy. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Donatello’s reputation as the great sculptor of the early Italian Renaissance was firmly established by the middle of the 19th century. This early work combines a classicising pose with a naturalistic portrayal of a youthful face. The original marble sculpture was executed for the external niche of the Armourers' Guild on the church of Or San Michele, Florence. The plaster cast was made by Monsieur Desachy, a Parisian cast-maker in 1864. Plaster casts were especially sought after during the 19th century, when reproductions of great works of sculpture and architecture were thought crucial for the training of artists. A separating substance was applied to the surface of the work to be reproduced, and a plaster mould made from that. The mould would then be used to make any number of additional plaster copies. These were often sold to artists, and later in the century to art colleges for study purposes. |
| Bibliographic reference | Marjorie Trusted. ed. The Making of Sculpture: The Materials and Techniques of European Sculptire. London: V&a Publications, 2007, pp. 162-163, pl. 312 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | REPRO.1864-36 |
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| Record created | June 27, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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