Academic with a say over old artist (9)

I believe the answer is:

donatello

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'artist' is the definition.
(I know that Donatello is a carver)

'academic with a say over old' is the wordplay.
'academic' becomes 'don' (type of academic - especially at Oxbridge).
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'say over' becomes 'tell' (synonyms. I am not sure about the 'over' bit.).
'old' becomes 'o' (abbreviation).
'don'+'a'+'tell'+'o'='DONATELLO'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for donatello that I've seen before include "Italian artist" , "C 15 Florentine sculptor" , "Famous Florentine sculptor" , "Old lean-to (anag) - sculptor" , "Chipper" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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