DESIDERIO DA SETTIGNANO

Desiderio da Settignano: translation

(c. 1430-1464)

Italian sculptor from the town of Settignano, a small village nearFlorence. The dependence of Desiderio'sreliefson techniques introduced byDonatellosuggest that he may have trained with the sculptor. In fact, hisVirginand Child(c. 1460) in the Philadelphia Museum is rendered inrelievo schiacciato, a Donatello invention. Desiderio's overall style, however, differs from Donatello's in that his figures are more refined and possess a certain sweetness.Owing to this, his approach is usually described as theSweet Style, which came to dominate the art of the mid-14th century. In 1453, Desiderio was commissioned to create a tomb for the Florentine Chancellor Carlo Marsuppini in the Church ofSanta Croce, Florence. Conceived as a pendant toBernardoRossellino's tomb of Chancellor Leonardo Bruni, Desiderio included the same elements as Rossellino: theeffigylying on abierabove the sarcophagus, angels supporting a laudatory inscription,classicalpilasters, andlunettewith an image of the Virgin and Child. Desiderio is best known for his depictions of children. HisHead of a Childin the Washington National Gallery (c. 1460) was inspired by ancient Roman portrait busts, as was hisLaughing Boy(1453-1463) in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. Figures laughing or smiling are in fact characteristic of Desiderio's art. These works exemplify the master's ability to manipulate marble to achieve the proper light and dark effects.