Virgin Adoring the Christ Child
after 1479
Medium
Glazed terracotta
Dimensions
Overall: 29 1/2 × 20 1/16 × 5 in. (74.9 × 51 × 12.7 cm); Framed: 38 1/4 in. × 28 3/4 in. × 5 in. (97.2 × 73 × 12.7 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture
Italian, Florence
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Adele L. Lehman, in memory of Arthur Lehman, 1965
Accession Number
65.181.23
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 15th century, buzzed with Renaissance innovation, and Andrea della Rob, nephew of the pioneering sculptor Luca della Robbia, forward the family legacy. Created after 1479, *Virgin Adoring the Christ* exemplifies their signature glazed terracotta technique—a durable, weather-resistant medium perfected in the Della Robbia workshop. tin-glazed earthenware allowed for vivid, jewel-like colors that mimicked painting while offering the permanence of sculpture, making it ideal for both indoor altarpieces and outdoor church decorations. The artwork tenderly captures a quintessential devot...
About the Artist
Andrea della Robbia
Andrea della Robbia was one of the most successful and prolific of the della Robbia family. He trained with his uncle, Luca della Robbia, assisting in his workshop, and by 1470, had assumed its supervision. Typically, his works are more complex than Luca's, with more expressive figures and compositions. He worked on many commissions during the 1470s, and also began a series of tin-glazed terracott...