Virgin and Child
Relief
ca. 1485 (made)
ca. 1485 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This composition was among the most popular products of the workshop of Andrea della Robbia; nearly twenty versions of this glazed terracotta roundel are known. The largest and probably the earliest of these reliefs is the so-called Foulc Madonna (Musée des Beaux-Arts, Nîmes). On account of the modelling and glazing, Marquand and Pope-Hennessy accepted the V&A relief as an autograph work by Andrea. Repairs in the figures, especially prominent in the Child's left hand, part of his face, and chest, do not detract from the quality of the relief and the serene composition.
The Della Robbia family of sculptors was active in Florence from the early fifteenth century and worked elsewhere in Italy and in France well into the sixteenth century. Andrea was the nephew of Luca della Robbia, who founded the workshop and invented a new method for creating terracotta sculptures covered with colourful ceramic glazes. Trained also a marble sculptor in the studio of his uncle Luca, Andrea became an excellent modeller, unrivalled in his ability to capture the life of his subjects in glazed clay. His best-known works are ten roundels of infants in swaddling clothes, installed on the façade of Florence's Ospedale degli Innocenti (foundling hospital) in 1487.
The Della Robbia family of sculptors was active in Florence from the early fifteenth century and worked elsewhere in Italy and in France well into the sixteenth century. Andrea was the nephew of Luca della Robbia, who founded the workshop and invented a new method for creating terracotta sculptures covered with colourful ceramic glazes. Trained also a marble sculptor in the studio of his uncle Luca, Andrea became an excellent modeller, unrivalled in his ability to capture the life of his subjects in glazed clay. His best-known works are ten roundels of infants in swaddling clothes, installed on the façade of Florence's Ospedale degli Innocenti (foundling hospital) in 1487.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Virgin and Child (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Glazed terracotta |
| Brief description | Relief of the Virgin and Child with Cherubim, glazed terracotta, by Andrea della Robbia, Florence, ca. 1485 |
| Physical description | Virgin and Child with two cherub heads. Circular relief in blue and white glazed terracotta. The Virgin is represented half-length turned slightly to her right, supporting the nude Child, full-length, in a standing posture beside her. He holds the end of her veil in his right hand. To either side, on the level of the shoulders, is a winged cherub head, with indications of cloud beneath. The figures are entirely glazed in white, except for the eyes, which are coloured with brown and black glazes. Set inside a carved and gilt wood frame. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | The roundel was purchased together with its gilt wooden frame (the latter later in date) from the Soulages collection in 1859, at a cost of £55. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This composition was among the most popular products of the workshop of Andrea della Robbia; nearly twenty versions of this glazed terracotta roundel are known. The largest and probably the earliest of these reliefs is the so-called Foulc Madonna (Musée des Beaux-Arts, Nîmes). On account of the modelling and glazing, Marquand and Pope-Hennessy accepted the V&A relief as an autograph work by Andrea. Repairs in the figures, especially prominent in the Child's left hand, part of his face, and chest, do not detract from the quality of the relief and the serene composition. The Della Robbia family of sculptors was active in Florence from the early fifteenth century and worked elsewhere in Italy and in France well into the sixteenth century. Andrea was the nephew of Luca della Robbia, who founded the workshop and invented a new method for creating terracotta sculptures covered with colourful ceramic glazes. Trained also a marble sculptor in the studio of his uncle Luca, Andrea became an excellent modeller, unrivalled in his ability to capture the life of his subjects in glazed clay. His best-known works are ten roundels of infants in swaddling clothes, installed on the façade of Florence's Ospedale degli Innocenti (foundling hospital) in 1487. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 5633-1859 |
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| Record created | February 13, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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