John Flannagan often spoke of the sympathy he saw between the materials he worked with and the subjects that he carved. He tried to find in each stone the suggestion of a form hidden within it. In Donkey the stubbornness of the granite (one of the most difficult stones to carve) matches the personality of the animal. The donkey feels like such a part of the stone that he almost appears fossilized. The subtle outlines that define his body also make the sculpture seem worn and ancient.