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Figure - St Anthony the Abbot

St Anthony the Abbot

  • Object:

    Figure

  • Place of origin:

    Florence (made)

  • Date:

    ca.1500-1520 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Buglioni, Benedetto (maker)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Polychrome enamelled terracotta

  • Museum number:

    2413-1856

  • Gallery location:

    Medieval & Renaissance, Room 50b, The Paul and Jill Ruddock Gallery, case WS

Benedetto Buglioni is said to have learned the art of enamelled terracotta from a woman employed in Andrea della Robbia's house. He appears to have worked in Florence at the same time as Andrea, but the products of his workshop are considered both technically and artistically inferior. The saint is shown with one of his attributes, a pig, an animal bred by the Antonine monks.

Saint Anthony was an early Christian saint and hermit, born in upper Egypt. He is regarded as one of the founders of monasticism. He is normally represented holding a stick with a tau-shaped handle like a crutch and a bell.

Physical description

The saint is represented standing on a dull green base. He wears a brown and black habit with blue shoes, and holds a blue and yellow book in his right hand. At his side is a small black and white pig. The head, beard and hands are unglazed.

Place of Origin

Florence (made)

Date

ca.1500-1520 (made)

Artist/maker

Buglioni, Benedetto (maker)

Materials and Techniques

Polychrome enamelled terracotta

Dimensions

Height: 86.4 cm, Width: 38 cm, Depth: 25.3 cm

Descriptive line

St anthony abbot; Terracotta glazed Italian 15-16c w/s buglioni

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Inventory of Art Objects Acquired in the Year 1856. In: Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, Arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol I. London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 12.
Maclagan, Eric and Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture. Text. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1932, p. 80.
Pope-Hennessy, John. assisted by Lightbown, Ronald. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Volume I: Text. Eighth to Fifteenth Century. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1964, p.

Labels and date

2413-1856
St Anthony the Abbot
Terracotta, partially enamelled
Workshop of Benedetto Buglioni (1459/60-1521)
Florentine; late 15th or early 16th century
Benedetto Buglioni is said to have learned the art of enamelled terracotta from a woman employed in Andrea della Robbia's house. He appears to have worked in Florence at the same time as Andrea, but the products of his workshop are considered both technically and artistically inferior. The saint is shown with one of his attributes, a pig, an animal bred by the Antonine monks. A companion piece of St Stephen is displayed nearby. []

Materials

Terracotta

Techniques

Enamelling

Subjects depicted

Book; Pig

Categories

Christianity; Religion; Sculpture

Collection

Sculpture Collection

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