The ploughman versus the Christ
There were two great artists from Florence — Donatello and Filippo Brunelleschi. Once, when Donatello was quite young, he made a crucifix of wood and thought he had achieved nothing short of perfect perfection. He invited his dear friend Brunelleschi to offer his wise comment. Needless to say, inwardly he was dying for the best possible appreciation, which he felt he so rightly deserved. Alas, his dream-world was shattered to pieces when Brunelleschi said to him, "I see a ploughman on the cross instead of the Saviour."Donatello was utterly mortified by this unexpected criticism from the older artist. He said, "You are a great judge! But let me see you do it yourself. You say I made a ploughman instead of Jesus Christ. Let me see your masterpiece of the crucifixion."
That very day Brunelleschi began working on his crucifix. In due course, Brunelleschi completed his sculpture. One day, by chance, he met with his dear friend Donatello in a grocery. Brunelleschi said to his friend, "Tonight you will have supper with me. Please do me a favour. I have bought these items and I have still more items to buy. Will you be good enough to carry these items to my house? I shall be coming home shortly."
Donatello gladly complied with his friend's request, carrying a few eggs and some cheese in his apron. Upon entering Brunelleschi's studio, he got the shock of his life. Perfection incarnate was Brunelleschi's sculpture of the crucifixion. Utterly amazed, he lost his outer senses and dropped the apron containing the eggs and cheese. Everything was smashed and all was perfect chaos before the immortal sculpture.
On his return, when Brunelleschi saw the great calamity, he said to his friend, "What is the matter with you? What are we going to have now for dinner?"
Donatello said, "Sorry, I have already had my dinner. Your supremely great achievement has fed me to my heart's content. I feel sorry for you that you have nothing to eat. Now, listen to my sincere heart. The difference between you and me is this: you know how to make the Christ and I know how to make a ploughman."
