Emblem of a Compagnia
Relief
second half of 15th century (made)
second half of 15th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Relief in enamelled terracotta attributed to the workshop of the Della Robbia, made in Florence in the second half of the fifteenth century. It depicts a small figure of St John the Baptist, holding a cross in his left hand and pointing with his right hand in a gesture of blessing. Above the figure two keys or a saltire appear in the clouds. It is either an emblem of a Compagnia dedicated to St. John the Baptist and St. Peter or of a Compagnia dedicated to the former saint and associated with a church dedicated to the latter.
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.
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.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Emblem of a Compagnia (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | enamelled terracotta |
| Brief description | Emblem, relief, enamelled terracotta, crossed keys, John the Baptist blessing, workshop of the Della Robbia, Italy (Florence), second half of the fifteenth century |
| Physical description | Relief in polychrome enamelled terracotta. The relief has the form of a small lunette gules on which are set two keys, or and argent, in saltire, with above them, in clouds, a small figure of St John the Baptist, holding a cross in his left hand and pointing with his right. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Purchased in Florence through Mr. J. C. Robinson for £8 in 1882. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Relief in enamelled terracotta attributed to the workshop of the Della Robbia, made in Florence in the second half of the fifteenth century. It depicts a small figure of St John the Baptist, holding a cross in his left hand and pointing with his right hand in a gesture of blessing. Above the figure two keys or a saltire appear in the clouds. It is either an emblem of a Compagnia dedicated to St. John the Baptist and St. Peter or of a Compagnia dedicated to the former saint and associated with a church dedicated to the latter. 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. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 45-1882 |
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| Record created | July 14, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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