Early Life and Artistic Beginnings Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi, universally known as Donatello, was born in Florence around 1386 – a date shrouded in some uncertainty, with records suggesting a range between 1382 and 1387. His origins were modest; his father, Niccolò, was a wool carder, a common profession within the burgeoning merchant class of Florence. This background, though not aristocratic, provided Donatello with an early exposure to the city’s vibrant artistic scene, as sculpture flourished alongside commerce. He received his initial training in stone carving, likely under the…