Bargello Museum, Florence

When putting the finishing touches to the first draft of my new historical detective story The Illusion of Reality, I marvelled again at the extraordinary vivacity of Donatello’s incredible bronze David, which you can see in all its glory in the Bargello museum.

A fictionalised Donatello is one of the characters in my story, which follows the adventures of Luca di Posara  (a young man from a watermill in a remote village in Tuscany), as he lives through the inspirations and intrigues of early 15^th century Florence.

In my book, Donatello has just been commissioned by Cosimo dei’ Médici to create the sculpture and, in his studio, he is telling his apprentices (and Luca) of his vision: ‘Donatello continued pacing waving his arms. “A bronze, free-standing, visible from all sides… I can already see him in my mind’s eye. Nude of course, with a knowing smile and a saucy hat…”’

I couldn’t have put it better myself! 

We have named one of the bedrooms of the Watermill after Donatello. It is cosy and bright and with a terrace with wonderful views over the garden and mountains. The Donatello bedroom, appropriately enough, is next to the Brunelleschi, to whom he was apprenticed. All our bedrooms are named after famous Italian artists and whichever one you choose, we’d be delighted to welcome you here for one of our caring and inspiring creative holiday weeks – painting, creative writing, knitting and Italian language.

*You can read about Luca di Posara’s earlier adventures in Renaissance Florence in A Matter of Perspective.

Murder and intrigue in Renaissance Florence.