Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 20.djvu/614

Rh 590 R O B B I A surrounded by a splendidly modelled wreath of fruit and flowers, especially apples, lemons, oranges, and fir cones, all of which are brilliantly coloured. This medallion was set up on the facade of the Pazzi Palace to commemorate Rene's visit to Florence in 1442. Another early relief by Luca, also highly polychromatic, is that of the Ascension in the tympanum of one of the sacristy doors in the cathedral, executed between 1446 and 1450, as is recorded in a document published by Rumohr (Italien. Forsck., ii. pp. 364-365). Other existing works of Luca in Florence are the tympanum reliefs of the Madonna between two Angels in the Via dell' Agnolo, a work of exquisite beauty, and another over the door of S. Pierino del Mercato Vecchio. The only existing statues by. Luca are two lovely enamelled figures of Kneeling Angels holding candlesticks, now in the canons' sacristy. 1 A very fine work by Luca, executed between 1449 and 1452, is the tympanum relief of the Madonna and four Monastic Saints over the door of S. Domenico at Urbino. 2 Luca also made the four coloured medallions of the Virtues set in the vault over the tomb of the young cardinal-prince of Portugal in a side chapel of S. Miniato in Florence (see ROSSELLINO). By Luca also are reliefs of the Madonna and various medallions outside Or San Michele. One of his chief decorative works which no longer exists was a small library or study for Piero de' Medici, wholly lined with painted majolica plaques and reliefs. 3 The South Kensington Museum pos- sesses twelve circular plaques of majolica ware painted in blue and white with the Occupations of the Months; these have been attributed to Luca, but have no resem- blance to any known works of his. Their provenance is unknown. In 1471 Luca was elected president of the Florentine artists' guild, but he refused this great honour on account of his age and infirmity. It shows, however, the very high estimation in which he was held by his contemporaries. He died on 20th February 1482, leaving his property to his nephews Andrea and Simone. 4 His chief pupil was his nephew Andrea, and probably also Agostiuo di Duccio, who executed many pieces of sculpture at Rimini, and the graceful but mannered marble reliefs of angels on the facade of S. Bernardino at Perugia. 5 Vasari calls this Agostino Luca's brother, but he was not related to him at all. II. ANDREA DELLA ROBBIA (1435-1525), the nephew and pupil of Luca, carried on the production of the enamelled reliefs on a much larger scale than his uncle had ever done ; he also extended its application to various architectural uses, such as friezes and to the making of lavabos (lavatories), fountains, and large retables. The result of this was that, though the finest reliefs from the workshop of Andrea were but little if at all inferior to those from the hand of Luca, yet some of them, turned out by pupils and assistants, reached only a lower stand- ard of merit. Only one work in marble by Andrea is known, namely, an altar in S. Maria delle Grazie near Arezzo, mentioned by Vasari (ed. Milanesi, ii. p. 179), and still well preserved. One variety of method was introduced by Andrea in his enamelled work ; sometimes he omitted the enamel 1 The South Kensington Museum possesses what seem to be fine replicas of these statues. 2 The document in which the order for this and the price paid for it are recorded is published by Yriarte, Oaz. d. Beaux Arts, xxiv. p. 143. 3 It is fully described by Filarete in his Traltalo dell' Architectural,, written in 1464, and therefore was finished before that date ; see also Vasari, ed. Milanesi, Florence, 1880, ii. p. 174. 4 His will, dated 19th February 1471, is published by Gaye, Cart. Ined., i. p. 185. 5 In the works of Perkins and others on Italian sculpture these Perugian reliefs are wrongly stated to be of enamelled clay. OH the face and hands (nude parts) of his figures, especi- ally in those cases where he had treated the heads in a realistic manner ; as, for example, in the noble tympanum relief of the meeting of St Domenic and St Francis in the loggia of the Florentine hospital of S. Paolo, a design suggested by a fresco of Fra Angelico's in the cloister of St Mark's. One of the most remarkable works by Andrea is the series of medallions with reliefs of Infants in white on a blue ground set on the front of the found- ling hospital at Florence. These lovely child-figures are modelled with wonderful skill and variety, no two being alike. Andrea produced, for guilds and private persons, a large number of reliefs of the Madonna and Child varied with much invention, and all of extreme beauty of pose and sweetness of expression. These are frequently framed with realistic and yet very 'decorative garlands of fruit and flowers, all painted with enamel colours, while the main relief is left white. Fig. 2 shows a good example of these HI mni-tf utiiifi mn im m wumm n>rwn Fia. 2. Enamelled clay relief of Virgin and Child, by Andrea. smaller works. The hospital of S. Paolo, near S. Maria Novella, has also a number of fine medallions with reliefs of saints, two of Christ Healing the Sick, and two fine portraits, under which are white plaques inscribed "dall' ano 1451 all' aiio 1495"; the first of these dates is the year when the hospital was rebuilt owing to a papal brief sent to the archbishop of Florence. Arezzo possesses a number of fine enamelled works by Andrea and his sons a retable in the cathedral with God holding the Crucified Christ, surrounded by angels, and below, kneeling figures of S. Donate and S. Bernardino ; also in the cathedral is a fine relief of the Madonna and Child with four saints at the sides. In S. Maria in Grado is a very noble retablo with angels holding a crown over a standing figure of the Madonna ; a number of small figures of worshippers take refuge in the folds of the Virgin's mantle, a favourite motive for sculpture dedicated by guilds or other corporate