How was it made? Donatello's marble carving technique

How was it made? Donatello's marble carving technique | V&A

Рет қаралды 614,691

Күн бұрын

Sculptor Simon Smith tells us why marble is 'the Emperor of all stones' and 'like a slice of the moon', as he recreates a panel from the 15th-century Prato Pulpit in Italy. The carved pulpit features metre-high dancing cherubs, which Simon copies from photographs - scaling them down to fit his block of marble, while retaining the spirit and joy of Donatello's original.
Watch the shapes appear as Simon uses different chisels and tools to cut and refine the marble, explaining how carving is all about trapping shadows and watching light play across the surface.
You can see - and touch - the panel made by Simon in our exhibition Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance.
00:00 The properties of marble
00:26 What is the Prato Pulpit?
01:09 Drawing from photographs
01:56 Traditional vs contemporary chisels
03:16 The difficulties of marble carving
04:22 The claw tool
04:42 Trapping shadows and playing with light
05:29 Filing and pumicing
06:24 The spirit and joy of Donatello’s carving
Find out more about the exhibition and book tickets: www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/don...
More 'How was it Made?' films: • How was it made?

Пікірлер: 357

@celinesm7382 Жыл бұрын

I could listen to Simon talk about his art and his craft for ever! What a beautiful process. The phrase 'carving is essentially trapping shadows' will stay with me!

@ronlaswell1542 Жыл бұрын

That's why speaking is so important. Not everyone knows how to put their thoughts into words. Just like explaining your emotions to another, do they understand, can they comprehend? To teach another how to explain their feelings is so important to enhance our lives.

@omicroneridani7456 Жыл бұрын

I can but concur, a very pleasant and inspirational narrator. That phrase, furthermore, is really an epitome of the art.

@piccalillipit9211 3 ай бұрын

Yes that really resonated with me really meant something to me

@EgoEroTergum Жыл бұрын

It is always a wonderful thing, to touch the mind of an artist.

@philthycat1408 Жыл бұрын

That sounds messy and extremely dangerous to the artist.

@Efemral Жыл бұрын

Always wash your hands first.

@forsafetymode Жыл бұрын

“Capturing shadow”. Love this so much! More of these, please!

@vamuseum Жыл бұрын

Make sure you're subscribed - we've got something coming up

@oops1088 Жыл бұрын

"Trapping" I know, I loved that

@autodidact537 3 ай бұрын

@@vamuseumAre there any health problems from the marble dust that a sculptor inhales during the carving process?

@discardiac Жыл бұрын

He does such a good job of describing the process and what goes through his mind. I’d love to see this with other artists, like directors, musicians, etc

@Nashvillain10SE Жыл бұрын

Agreed. Other artists try to be coy or overly-philosophical to hide the actual mechanics of creating their works.

@HansGruber_1988 29 күн бұрын

Artists like this really make the world special.

@deansnipah1392 Жыл бұрын

Sculpting in my opinion is the hardest form of art. There is literally *ZERO* room for error.

@travismiller5548 Жыл бұрын

There is though, you just have to be able to let go of the original vision and change your goal. Michaelangelo carved a pieta from a stone another artist had messed up, and considered unworkable.

@northfield3654 Жыл бұрын

@@travismiller5548 That was The David

@stinew358 Жыл бұрын

I've seen some interesting errors in sculpture

@travismiller5548 Жыл бұрын

@@northfield3654 no, I mean the Florentine Pieta, "the deposition"

@northfield3654 Жыл бұрын

@@travismiller5548 the one Michelangelo didn't complete and destroyed?

@flatline-timer Жыл бұрын

Beautiful, thank you Simon Smith and Victoria and Albert Museum for sharing this with us!

@kilitciali1230 Жыл бұрын

I enjoyed watching thanks and love from Turkey

@davidmclean5895 Жыл бұрын

What a privilege and a blessing to be such a gifted artist, and to know that hundreds of years from now your work will still be admired and appreciated.

@joannathinnes491 3 ай бұрын

Carving is just about trapping the shadow! Incredible!

@chuck-n-debtaylor7553 3 ай бұрын

What a joy to watch! Thank you ❤

@Silveryback 6 ай бұрын

Fascinating! I've always wondered how such lifelike sculptures were made. Amazing!

@captaincrunch784 Жыл бұрын

In the 2012 TMNT Donatello constantly corrected people saying his namesake was a painter. SCULPTOR he would shout!

@KpxUrz5745 Жыл бұрын

This is quite a good introduction to the tools, process, and work habits for marble carving. The studio looks so authentic, and so does this artist. I have done copies too, but mine are drawings or paintings. And I agree with one point made here, which is that, aside from working to replicate the forms and style of the original, really the most important thing in the end it to somehow capture the "spirit". Successfully doing that can be difficult and elusive, and I must say that only an infinitesimally small percentage of later artists can ever achieve this. There is always a deep or moving spirit conveyed by the best artists in history, and I believe anyone copying such an artwork needs to become so immersed in recognizing that spirit that they can tap into the sensibility and purpose that the original artist must have felt.

@CaptPeanutBut 5 ай бұрын

Really incredible to see this process and what a fabulous teacher.

@Anodrol50 6 ай бұрын

Beyond fascinating!

@JamesKearyJackson Ай бұрын

I learn something new each time I watch this. Simon you make me want to try this as Donatello is my favorite Early Renaissance sculptor.

@lillotusplays 6 ай бұрын

what an interview/documentary. skilled carver and communicates very well

@alexisburleson 4 ай бұрын

this is so fascinating!! please give us more videos like this!!

@ANDROLOMA 3 ай бұрын

Marvellous talent.

@simongregory3114 Жыл бұрын

Utmost respect for people doing this work, keeping skills alive.

@Ahmed-Crane 4 ай бұрын

So educational and beautiful work. Thank you.

@piccalillipit9211 3 ай бұрын

That was amazing, the way you described it it really meant something to me.

@SuperSavvyTravelersLLC 2 ай бұрын

This is so amazing! Thank you!

@hakimmalek8317 2 ай бұрын

1st time watching stone carving . why am i feeling so serene and relax .

@marvogrady9728 3 ай бұрын

Great work, Simon. Wonderful work, V & A.

@user-hm3lg4np2l 3 ай бұрын

great interview

@phatato Жыл бұрын

I absolutely love this! I always get put off by the less than ideal level of regard in the art world regarding copies. With music a reinterpretation of an original work is celebrated and thought of this something interesting and worthwhile, whereby in art we seem to have such much obsession with the original and copies are not often celebrated. I think this video shows that it's actually a wonderful thing to reinterpret an original work in any medium.

@micahsuboat1233 16 күн бұрын

I really enjoyed this video. You are a fantastic artist.

@antoniog76 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for posting such awesome content! What an amazing artist he is and I loved the way he explained his process.

@Miss_Toots Жыл бұрын

Beautiful work

@sharonzotoff3975 Жыл бұрын

I've never seen marble carved before. It's rather a delicate process and really quite beautiful. with one tool erasing the marks of the tool before it.

@daviddimech6445 Жыл бұрын

Beautiful sculpture

@alicewalsh2382 Жыл бұрын

love this … such beautiful craftsmanship

@ronsmith1364 Жыл бұрын

"Removing the marks from the previous tool" until it reveals the beauty an artisans skills can create. Best description of carving I have ever heard (the essence of the process explained so well). "Roughing out" takes on a much more nuanced meaning with a Master's insight. Wonderful vlog Please share more.

@Kagamishoshi Жыл бұрын

marble is such a beautiful material

@theodoremercutio1600 4 ай бұрын

my goodness... so amazing...

@asahearts1 Жыл бұрын

Tungsten is a metal. Tungsten carbide is a ceramic with metal in it.

@feralbluee Жыл бұрын

thanks - i was wondering. i wonder who the heck thought of that for sculpting? 🌹

@Leo-V 11 ай бұрын

Beautifully done

@angelomariano9494 Жыл бұрын

beautiful art form

@scottprather5645 4 ай бұрын

Very nice work

@nixi7688 9 ай бұрын

"Trapping shadows" what a beautiful concept.

@thekickingwolf5115 Жыл бұрын

Wow.. thats just incredible

@supahfly_uk Жыл бұрын

Nothing quite like a pair of skilled human hands.

@user-pb2kg1ng4g Жыл бұрын

What a gift to the world this man and his talent is. If only more people could eke out the gems of their life; whether through painting, music, writing, dance etc. Bravo Simon Smith !

@grahameanderson6913 Жыл бұрын

I had a lot of joy watching this.

@victorianidetch 11 күн бұрын

Talent and magic.

@doogelyjim8627 Жыл бұрын

Ah I love this video. Very revealing to actually see someone going at the stone like this. Have always wondered about how it is with marble. "how could they make these out of stone?? stone is so hard?" a pointy metal thing and a hammer and going bit by bit by bit. fantastic

@eternalme6077 26 күн бұрын

I find this incredibly interesting, I know nothing of sculpting stone much less marble but I'm simply compelled to start learning. I live on an island so the only plentiful stones or rock are either river stones or lava rock. I'll also have to learn all about the tools of the trade, chisels brushes hammers etc. Anyways I'll be investigating many more videos on this subject, Thank you so much for posting this beauty.......🎸🎸🎸♥️

@tillytoad804 Жыл бұрын

Stunning!

@SueK2001 Жыл бұрын

I am absolutely in love with sculpture. I always visit the sculpture galleries of museums and spend hours just looking at various pieces and marveling at how artists can bring out a form out of stone. Just sublime.

@ZephaniahL 7 ай бұрын

Do you prefer colored, the sort of sculptures the ancient Greeks and Romans made, or bare stone?

@SueK2001 7 ай бұрын

@@ZephaniahL I love the bare marble and fully admit that it’s the result of our “modern” sensibilities.

@cleftoftherock6797 Жыл бұрын

Incredible. Very rare talent to see. Thank you.

@baticadavinci3984 Жыл бұрын

I love artists sooo much!

@martinthomas5194 Жыл бұрын

Wonderful

@mbakmamikofficial7999 Жыл бұрын

Nice share and best like

@layedout778 Жыл бұрын

Beautiful.

@jaymistry779 Жыл бұрын

Incredible

@lrtc99 Жыл бұрын

Well done V&A! That’s a beautiful film. I wish every piece of art could be given this captivating treatment. 10/10

@seanr2157 Жыл бұрын

This is absolutely fascinating! Thank you for sharing your process. I’d love to see more!

@jessicakim2511 2 ай бұрын

That's amazing

@williamfahey6066 Жыл бұрын

Wow! Simon is an amazing Artist. I love watching him. This was the fastest Seven minutes and Thirteen seconds of my life. Thank you for this great video, Jeff

@thenavybluewolf5648 7 ай бұрын

He does a fantastic job of explaining the process in a way that makes you understand the basics without overwhelming the mind. Makes me want to try my hand at it.

@TheMattsterling Жыл бұрын

What an amazing video showing the talent required to create this piece of art. Thanks for sharing and Simon Smith...you are incredible!

@TorchwoodPandP Жыл бұрын

Unrelated, but I love your workshirt!

@princequestly2218 Жыл бұрын

What a demanding art form, absolutely incredible carving into such hard material with that precision. Truly talented.

@HobbyOrganist 23 күн бұрын

Marble is soft and fine, try granite!! granite is extremely hard and unlike the fine grain of marble- granite is very crystaline and course, it's a very difficult stone to carve!

@mawmawd627 Жыл бұрын

Very impressive.

@ronniebillhicks 4 ай бұрын

seems like a genuinely nice human being,........stone carving is def' a medium I haven't tried yet,......but looks so awesome.

@abbywebster8343 Жыл бұрын

Wow, such wonderful talent!

@RevRedmondFarrier 4 ай бұрын

I never really though about it before, but carving (especially panel carving) can be though of as a drawing using actual shadows as the medium. That is such an interesting concept that I would have never thought of before.

@drgnmstr59 Жыл бұрын

Amazing

@agushofblue Жыл бұрын

Beautiful allegory on how to be compelling: small nibbles

@dilihopa Жыл бұрын

W O W!!!! Excellent work.

@nigelbeck687 7 ай бұрын

Master at work.

@jimbobbob9063 Жыл бұрын

Simply amazing beautiful work. Wonderful craftsmanship

@unisophia 3 ай бұрын

made me want to try these tools and materials :) when I see someone doing art, I can’t help myself, but want to play with the toys these people are playing…

@garishanth Жыл бұрын

beautiful. 👌🏽

@JH-ne7mr Жыл бұрын

This can't be right. Donatello wouldn't have enough light, what with working in the sewer. What would he carve into too? Old pizza crusts left over from Michaelangelo? I don't think Raphael would be helpful either. Leonardo would probably just be complaining to Master Splinter too.

@theaquariancontrarian3316 Жыл бұрын

It's refreshing to hear a true artist explain things in simple coherent terms versus the so called conceptual artists that spew out a bunch of nonsense trying to explain away an uninspiring useless object.

@JEBavido Жыл бұрын

Fantastic!

@philipplace9990 Жыл бұрын

Only just discovered this... out of all the arts the skills of a sculptor absolutely astound me! Not gonna lie! I think this is the best "taster" video to get me to find out more about this guy... thoroughly enjoyed how he explained the process, stunning work!

@clivesmith9377 Жыл бұрын

What an amazing talent to have!

@josephobenauer3093 Жыл бұрын

Absolutely riveting, great stuff.

@gaius_enceladus Жыл бұрын

Wonderful video! A pity it wasn't longer though - maybe 20 minutes or so! Very relaxing and calming watching him work. A real craftsman!

@inisipisTV Жыл бұрын

I would love a long video of him just carving. No dialogue, just pure chiselling sound.

@mathewborden4601 Жыл бұрын

Amazing. Thank you for sharing. Would love to see more of Simon

@substrata3642 Жыл бұрын

Enjoyed this. I have been a stonemason for 17 years, wish someone had clarified the nuances between banker and sculpture before I started my apprenticeship. It’s a shame that masons are paid so poorly compared to other trades, never understood why.

@felixwalton6227 Жыл бұрын

hello, I'm curious when you say the difference what do you mean? I had as well considered these very similar more or less being that a banker is just a sculpturer in a more construction-applied form. Currently looking for an apprenticeship in stone masonry, so this is actually very relevant to me. Are you taking apprentices if so respond with your email :) thanks.

@ZephaniahL 7 ай бұрын

Insufficient demand?

@entennstudio Жыл бұрын

Beautiful. Just wonderful stuff.

@mikeortega6072 Жыл бұрын

that was a great video, thank you for doing it.

@omicroneridani7456 Жыл бұрын

That sublte sound made by the chisel, so carefully and proficiently driven onto the marble surface, is sheer and delightful music, to my ears.

@RoboticDragon Жыл бұрын

Wow this guy is amazing, and very smart when it comes to his craft.

@linson2010 Жыл бұрын

I have always wondered about the sculpting process. Thank you and the sculptor for sharing.

@markthompson180 4 ай бұрын

In a world dominated by digital media and increasingly by AI -- I love seeing somebody creating something by hand, and doing it well. Nothing in the world beats hand-made artistry.

@stevenurrego9903 7 ай бұрын

thank you so much for sharing this.

@MrPhotodoc Жыл бұрын

Before I ever knew how to draw, I started to carve. I was fascinated by old building brick and how soft it was and easy to work with.

@here.-. 4 ай бұрын

It is truly sad to think the loss of appreciation for such divine art these days😢

@christianbond1561 Жыл бұрын

I’ve carved, wood, limestone and various varieties of alabaster but never marble. Gouges, mallets, points, flats, claws, rasps - loved connecting with the history of carving

@CapozzoliPhotography Жыл бұрын

Wish the video was longer very informative!

@behnamzadeh1936 4 ай бұрын

he is human hero this is revelations beautiful sacrifice his life for stone marble cutting i couldn't do this work unbelievable

@ThePizzaGoblin Жыл бұрын

That was beautiful. Thanks for posting this

@MistyPurp Жыл бұрын

This man is amazing and i dont mean to take anything away from him with my next statement, but my mind is blown imaging people do this 700 years ago i cant believe people were that talented then, and figuring out how to do all this without modern tools or techniques, and from houses with no electricity.

@richarddunn7017 Жыл бұрын

Marble has been carved for almost 4000 years.