This partially-glazed bust of Christ was made in Florence in the della Robbia workshop, famous for its glazed terracotta sculptures. The technique was developed by the founder of the workshop, Luca della Robbia, whose nephew Andrea took over and, together with his sons, made increasing use of moulds to replicate sculptures. The tin-glaze provided a durable and colourful finish to the fired clay, more suitable for use outside. The vibrant, reflective surface was also ideal for candlelit interiors.

Occasionally, the flesh was left unglazed, with the natural colour of the terracotta reflecting the flesh tones. Here both face and hair are unglazed, and would probably have been painted with naturalistic colours that could not be produced so successfully in the glaze. The wreath around the head represents the crown of thorns worn by Christ before his crucifixion. The holes were probably designed to house thorns made of another material, or possibly real thorns, that were inserted separately.

The high quality and sensitive handling of the bust suggests that it was produced by Andrea or by his son Luca 'il giovane' (the younger), or possibly by the two of them working together. Although there was a flourishing market for small-scale religious images in Florentine households, the bust was probably intended for a sacred setting. Busts of Christ and of saints survive today in Italian churches, at times placed high up.