Bust from the choir stall of the Cathedral in Poz

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While studying to become a priest at Heiligenkreutz, Donner encountered renowned sculptor Giovanni Giuliani and was inspired by Giuliani's expertise to pursue sculpture, creating works in Giuliani's studio and eventually enrolling in the prestigious Vienna Academy. After years living in Salzburg, he returned to Vienna where he crafted his magnum opus, the Providence Fountain (1738-39), situated on the Neuer Markt. Initially cast in lead, a technique favored by Donner, the figures were later replaced in 1873 with bronze replicas. Other notable Donner creations include the Perseus and Andromeda Fountain in the courtyard of Vienna's city hall and a statue of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI in Belvedere Castle, Vienna. The polished form and defined outline of his sculpture stood in stark contrast to the over-the-top Baroque style of his contemporaries and predecessors, ultimately contributing to a shift in sculptural trends.