Donatello . Fig. io6. Sa. Giustina from the High AltarOF S. Antonio. Padua. (To page 114.) 114 the full charm of womanhood (Fig. io6), It is Donatellos most beautifulfemale statue. The face, framed by abundant hair, seems to accompanywith a slight incline the salute offered by the right hand. The naturalgrace of this Saint increases the strangeness of the effect of the Madonna(Fig. 107). There is something mysterious and unapproachable in DonatellosMadonnas — even in his reliefs, where they gaze into the Infant Saviourseyes. In the case of the Paduan statue it lies in the total sl
Donatello . Fig. io6. Sa. Giustina from the High AltarOF S. Antonio. Padua. (To page 114.) 114 the full charm of womanhood (Fig. io6), It is Donatellos most beautifulfemale statue. The face, framed by abundant hair, seems to accompanywith a slight incline the salute offered by the right hand. The naturalgrace of this Saint increases the strangeness of the effect of the Madonna(Fig. 107). There is something mysterious and unapproachable in DonatellosMadonnas — even in his reliefs, where they gaze into the Infant Saviourseyes. In the case of the Paduan statue it lies in the total slight suggestion of it could already be found in his only earlier seatedfigure: the St. John in the Duomo, where the solemn throning alreadysuggested antique temple-statues. The Paduan Madonna is also reminiscentof the antique. Bolt-upright she holds with both hands the Infant in her. Fig. 107. Madonna between St. Francis and St. Anthony from the High Altar of S. Antonio. a photograph from the original by Alinari Brothers, Florence. (To page 114.) lap, staring straight in front of her, motionless, almost stiff. The wholefigure is entirely composed for a frontal effect. One might almost believe,that Donatello had seen some statue of the Ephesian Diana; a prototypeof this kind is also suggested by the curious sphynx-decoration at the sidesof the throne, similar in originality to the Evangelists thrones at S. Lorenzo,and afterwards frequently repeated. But a conscious striving after archaism,a following of the monumental character of romanesque art seems moreobvious. The naked Infant Saviour is strikingly small and helpless in Hisattitude; both figures seem to stand rather, than to sit. The whole con-ception would easiest explain itself, if this group were placed under thecupola-tabernacle (chua-cupola?), which was at one time crowned by thestone-image of
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