Christ
- Object:
- Place of origin:
- Date:
late fifteenth century (modelled)
- Artist/Maker:
- Materials and Techniques:
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
- Download image
The bust is characteristic of a class of devotional images of Christ that was manufactured in some quantities in Florence at the end of the 15th century. Several similar examples exist, including those in the Horne Foundation and the Bigallo in Florence. All are derived from the head of Christ in the bronze group of 'Christ and St. Thomas' executed between 1466 and 1483 for the niche on Orsanmichele in Florence (now in the Museo Orsanmichele) by Andrea De Verrocchio (1435-1488). They were doubtless produced by several workshops, including Verrocchio's, and by Giovanni della Robbia in unglazed terracotta. The terracotta would originally have been painted.
Physical description
Christ is shown with His head turned slightly to the left, with hair falling in long curls on the shoulders. He wears a cloak over a tunic.
Place of Origin
Florence, Italy (made)
Date
late fifteenth century (modelled)
Artist/maker
unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Terracotta
Dimensions
Height: 51.4 cm
Object history note
The bust is characteristic of a class of devotional images of Christ that was manufactured in some quantities in Florence at the end of the 15th century. Several similar examples exist, including those in the Horne Foundation and the Bigallo in Florence. All are derived from the head of Christ in the bronze group of 'Christ and St. Thomas' executed between 1466 and 1483 for the niche on Orsanmichele in Florence (now in the Museo Orsanmichele) by Andrea De Verrocchio (1435-1488). They were doubtless produced by several workshops, including Verrocchio's, and by Giovanni della Robbia in unglazed terracotta. The terracotta would originally have been painted.
Purchased in London
Descriptive line
Bust of Christ in terracotta, by an unknown artist, Italy, Florence, ca. 1450-1500
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Inventory of Art Objects Acquired in the Year 1860. 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. 3
Maclagan, Eric and Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture. Text. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1932, p. 66
Pope-Hennessy, John. 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. 209,10
Arnoldi, Franceso Negri, 'Scultura Italiana al Victoria and Albert Museum I&II. In: Commentari, anno XXI, June-July 1970. Fascicoli, pp. 212-213
Exhibition History
Verrocchio's Christ (Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest 13/03/2003-22/06/2003)
Materials
Terracotta
Subjects depicted
Christianity; Christ
Categories
Portraits; Sculpture; Religion; Christianity
Collection code
SCP
