Existing comment:
A Family Enterprise
This gallery contains reliefs by three Della Robbia generations. Luca, single and childless, brought his nephew Andrea into the workshop in 1451. The talented teenager grew into a major sculptor and entrepreneur who emulated his uncle's techniques while enriching the naturalistic and ornamental detail of the sculptures. Andrea also expanded production of portraits, Madonna reliefs, and large altarpieces that could be shipped in sections to clientele throughout Europe. He had twelve children, five of whom became fellow sculptors. The masterpiece shown here, the Resurrection by his son Giovanni (1469-1529/1530), displays the full potential of Della Robbia sculpture for color and nature study. |