Not currently on display at the V&A

A Franciscan Friar

Relief
early 16th century (made), early 16th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is a relief of a Franciscan friar, made in the early 16th century Florence. This relief is likely made by Giovanni of Della Robbia.

The Della Robbia family was an Italian family of sculptors and potters. They were active in Florence from the early 15th century and elsewhere in Italy and France well into the 16th. Family members were traditionally employed in the textile industry, and their name derives from rubia tinctorum, a red dye.
Luca della Robbia founded the family sculpture workshop in Florence and was regarded by contemporaries as a leading artistic innovator, comparable to Donatello and Masaccio. The influence of antique art and his characteristic liveliness and charm are evident in such works as the marble singing-gallery for Florence Cathedral. He is credited with the invention of the tin-glazed terracotta sculpture for which the family became well known. Giovanni della Robbia (1469 - ca. 1529) was one of three of the sons of Andrea della Robbia (1435-1525) to enter his father's workshop. He received his own commissions from 1497 and increasingly took over the running of the workshop.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleA Franciscan Friar (popular title)
Materials and techniques
Relief in enamelled terracotta
Brief description
Relief, grey and white enamelled terracotta, a Franciscan friar, probably By Giovanni della Robbia, Florentine, early 16th century
Physical description
Relief in grey and white enamelled terracotta. St. Francis is kneeling with his head turned back, his right hand resting on the ground and his left raised to shield his eyes.
Dimensions
  • Height: 50.8cm
  • Width: 61cm
Object history
Purchased in Paris (Piot sale, 1864, 25-30 April, p. 24, No. 93, £3 9s. 8d.)
Subject depicted
Summary
This is a relief of a Franciscan friar, made in the early 16th century Florence. This relief is likely made by Giovanni of Della Robbia.

The Della Robbia family was an Italian family of sculptors and potters. They were active in Florence from the early 15th century and elsewhere in Italy and France well into the 16th. Family members were traditionally employed in the textile industry, and their name derives from rubia tinctorum, a red dye.
Luca della Robbia founded the family sculpture workshop in Florence and was regarded by contemporaries as a leading artistic innovator, comparable to Donatello and Masaccio. The influence of antique art and his characteristic liveliness and charm are evident in such works as the marble singing-gallery for Florence Cathedral. He is credited with the invention of the tin-glazed terracotta sculpture for which the family became well known. Giovanni della Robbia (1469 - ca. 1529) was one of three of the sons of Andrea della Robbia (1435-1525) to enter his father's workshop. He received his own commissions from 1497 and increasingly took over the running of the workshop.
Bibliographic references
  • Pope-Hennessy, John. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum vol.1. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1964, p. 233
  • Maclagan, Eric and Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture
Collection
Accession number
480-1864

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Record createdMarch 25, 2008
Record URL
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