The Treatment of Drapery in Art

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1904. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIV EXAMPLES FROM PAINTING AND SCULPTURE F the illustrations in this work not hitherto The work of mentioned, the figure of II Zuccone by Donatell Donatello is by far the most remarkable. It was one of the figures designed and executed for Giotto's Campanile at Florence, and really represents King David -- Zuccone being a nickname referring to the bald pate of the figure. Vasari says: The latter (Zuccone) is considered the most extraordinary and most beautiful work ever produced by Donatello, who, when he intended to affirm a thing which should preclude all doubt, would say: 'By the faith that I place in my Zuccone.' There are some men who, by the loftiness of their ideas and aims and their power of giving expression to them, place themselves above criticism. Donatello is one of these. We cannot venture to criticise the work of so great an artist; our business must be to accept. Let none presume to measure the irregularities of Michael Angelo and Socrates by village scales.1 We can only say, however, that this figure of Zuccone runs counter to, and is in direct defiance of, every law of drapery as enunciated by almost every master from the very earliest times. It has often seemed to us that the work of the great, modern sculptor Rodin is directly inspired by, and to some extent founded on, Donatello, and especially this figure of Zuccone seems to suggest the work of Rodin. The work of In force, intensity of passion, and a certain Mantegna . .,