Born May 24, 1693, in Essling, Lower Austria; died Feb. 15, 1741, in Vienna. Austrian sculptor.
A master of the monumental-decorative style, Donner worked in Vienna, Salzburg (1725-28), and Bratislava (1728-38). His sculptures have been praised for their elegance and joyful spirit. Although he preserved features of baroque dynamism, Donner aspired to classical clarity of form, as can be seen in his St. Martin (lead, 1732-35, Bratislava cathedral) and in his allegorical figures for the fountain in the Neuer Markt in Vienna (lead, 1737-39, Baroque Museum, Vienna).