Andrea della Robbia

della Robbia, Andrea

Florentine, 1435 - 1525

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This colorful sculpture is a relief depicting a woman kneeling with her hands clasped in prayer, turned to the left, facing a small child lying on the ground. The woman wears draped robes and has a halo behind her head, while the child also has a halo but is nude. The ground the child lies on is green, with tall white flowers sprouting from green stems behind them. The sky behind the woman is blue, and two cherubic heads are on either side of her head, each with halos and wings. At the very top of this scene, two arms reach down from above holding a white crown with green and blue gems, appearing to be about to place it on the woman's head. This scene is framed with an elaborate border with green leaves, yellow fruits, brown pinecones, and clusters of dark purple grapes. At the bottom of the border are two more cherubic heads. Below that is a small section with a green wreath around what appears to be a round coat of arms featuring a lion and a large X. The people in the sculpture are all completely white, and there is a gold arched border around the sculpture.
Andrea della Robbia, The Adoration of the Child, after 1477, glazed terracotta, Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1961.1.2

The Adoration of the Child

Andrea della Robbia · after 1477 · glazed terracotta ·  Accession ID  1961.1.2

The sculpture depicts a religious figure with a halo. He is holding a book in his left arm and a set of keys in his right hand. The sculpture is made of glazed ceramic or porcelain-like material, giving it a smooth, white finish. The figure is surrounded by a decorative frame with colorful fruit and foliage motifs against a textured red background. The arch above has green leaves and round fruits. The sculpture is mounted on a wooden bracket or shelf at the bottom.
Andrea della Robbia, Italian 16th Century, Saint Peter, c. 1900/1925 (figure); c. 1550 (framing garland), glazed terracotta, Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1939.1.329

Saint Peter

Andrea della Robbia, Italian 16th Century · c. 1900/1925 (figure); c. 1550 (framing garland) · glazed terracotta ·  Accession ID  1939.1.329

Sculpted in painted terracotta, a woman is shown from the waist up, bracing a standing nude, plump baby boy. The woman, baby, and two winged heads floating to either side are sculpted in snow-white relief against a flat, cobalt-blue background, all contained within a round gold frame. The roundel is then framed within a rectangular wooden panel ornamented with gold and blue molding, rosettes, and leafy designs. The boy, woman, and winged heads all have plate-like halos, and their eyes have hazel-brown irises outlined in black. Within the round frame, the boy stands to our left of center, and his halo nearly reaches the top of the roundel. His body faces us as he stands on his right leg, to our left. That foot seems to rest on the ledge of the round frame, and he leans against the woman, to our right. He looks off over our left shoulder, his pursed lips set between chubby cheeks. With both pudgy hands, he holds onto the woman’s thumb or garment as she braces his torso. Her body is angled toward the boy, and she looks down and off in that direction. She has a straight nose, a pointed chin, delicate lips, and her thin eyebrows are black. Her wavy hair is parted down the middle and pulled back under a veil, and her long-sleeved garment falls in folds down her front. Her other hand wraps around the baby’s far hip. The winged baby heads hover at her shoulders, one to each side. The blue background has some bands of lighter and darker blue, suggesting a cloud-streaked sky. Gold rosettes fill the top corners between the round frame and the square panel into which it is set. Shield-like forms fill the lower corners. Fluted columns rise to either side of the central panel, and molding runs across the top and bottom. Some of the molding is painted gold, while other areas have gold, leafy patterns painted against the blue background.
Andrea della Robbia, Madonna and Child with Cherubim, c. 1485, glazed terracotta, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.122

Madonna and Child with Cherubim

Andrea della Robbia · c. 1485 · glazed terracotta ·  Accession ID  1937.1.122

The sculpture features a group of figures including a seated woman holding a child, an older man, and cherubic figures with wings. The figures are made of colorful glazed terracotta, primarily in white, against a blue background. The scene is framed within an arched, gilded architectural structure.
Anonymous Artist, Madonna and Child with God the Father and Cherubim, 1480/1490, glazed terracotta, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, 1937.1.123

Madonna and Child with God the Father and Cherubim

Anonymous Artist · 1480/1490 · glazed terracotta ·  Accession ID  1937.1.123