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The Virgin and Child with a Lily plant

Relief
ca. 1500 - ca. 1530 (made), 19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Della Robbia (workshop of)
Place of origin
Florence (city) (made)

This is a relief of the Virgin and Child with a lily plant, partly tin-glazed polychrome terracotta. The composition is derived from a popular relief known as the Rovezzano Madonna, after an example in the church of Sant' Andrea at Rovezzano. Several versions are known and all are presumed to reproduce a lost work by Luca della Robbia. The circular form of this relief and certain details which differ from the other examples suggest some suspicion on its authenticity. Regarding this, this relief may either be a work of the early 16th century or a later 19th century reproduction.

Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Christianity
Religion
Object type
Relief
TitleThe Virgin and Child with a Lily plant (generic title)
Materials and techniques
terracotta, partly tin-glazed in white, yellow, green, light and dark blue, and purple
Terracotta
Brief description
Relief, terracotta, partly glazed, the Virgin and Child with a Lily plant, Italy (Florence), possibly by the workshop of the Della Robbia, ca. 1500-30 or possibly a 19th century reproduction
Physical description
The Virgin and Child are surrounded by a border of fruit and foliage and seated on the ground before a cluster of lilies. Enamelled in white, yellow, green, light and dark blue, and purple;
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 63.5cm
Object history
Acquired in Paris from the Piot sale in 1864, no. 85, for £120. Formerly in the Fould Collection (sale Paris, 4 June, 1860, No. 2054)
Subjects depicted
Lily
Garland
Fruit
Flower
Virgin and Child
Summary
This is a relief of the Virgin and Child with a lily plant, partly tin-glazed polychrome terracotta. The composition is derived from a popular relief known as the Rovezzano Madonna, after an example in the church of Sant' Andrea at Rovezzano. Several versions are known and all are presumed to reproduce a lost work by Luca della Robbia. The circular form of this relief and certain details which differ from the other examples suggest some suspicion on its authenticity. Regarding this, this relief may either be a work of the early 16th century or a later 19th century reproduction.
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. 121
  • Inventory of Art Objects acquired in the Year 1864. Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol. 1. London : Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 27
  • Maclagan, Eric and Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1932, p. 35
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
477-1864

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Record createdMarch 25, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O148127/the-virgin-and-child-with-relief-della-robbia/
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