{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O93874"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O93874/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AE9827/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AE9827/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AE9827","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB2044","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O93874/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O93874","accessionNumber":"7547-1861","objectType":"Relief","titles":[{"title":"Virgin and Child","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This relief belongs to a large group of Madonna reliefs from the workshop of Andrea della Robbia, which seem to derive from a lost autograph work, probably modelled at about the same date as the Madonna of the Architects in the Museo Nazionale, Florence (1475). The border was not necessarily made for this relief.\r\n\r\nAndrea's uncle, Luca della Robbia (ca. 1399-1482) had pioneered the use of enamelled terracotta in Madonna reliefs, both modelled and reproduced using piece-moulding techniques.  His nephew Andrea inherited the family workshop and exploited the possibilities of piece-moulding to great effect, producing Madonna reliefs in large editions but in varying combinations of different sections.  The frame on this object, for example, was not designed specifically for the relief: the figures are slightly too short, and the height has had to be made up with the addition of a small white ledge.  Other examples of this relief exist without the frame, or without the cherubs in the background.\r\n\r\nThe relief was purchased in Florence, where it was noted to have been let into the wall of a house over a doorway. The figures of the Virgin and Child would have been seen looking down on the inhabitants of the house, perhaps affording them their protection.","physicalDescription":"Relief in blue and white enamelled terracotta, in a polychrome enamelled terracotta frame.  The Virgin and Child are shown in high relief, the Virgin in half-length with the Child standing upright on the parapet in front of her. The Child holds a bird in his right hand.  Behind the pair are shown, in flatter relief, three winged cherub heads.  The border, showing leaves, flowers, and fruit, may not have been made for this particular relief: the figures are slightly too short for the frame, so there is a small white ledge below the Virgin which has been built up in plaster to make the figures fit. Below the two figures is a console with, at its centre, a winged cherub head.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Robbia, Andrea della","id":"A2357"},"association":{"text":"workshop of","id":"x28708"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Terracotta","id":"AAT10669"}],"techniques":[{"text":"Enamelled","id":"x30139"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Blue and white enamelled terracotta in a polychrome enamelled terracotta frame","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2006AE9827","2017KB2044"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"64A (VA)","id":"THES49095"},"free":"","case":"WN","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Panel relief","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Florence","id":"x28848"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1475-1500","earliest":"1470-01-01","latest":"1500-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"121.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"73.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"72","unit":"kg","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This relief was probably produced in the workshop of Andrea della Robbia (1435-1525).  Andrea's uncle, Luca della Robbia (ca. 1399-1482) had pioneered the use of enamelled terracotta in Madonna reliefs, both modelled and reproduced using piece-moulding techniques.  His nephew Andrea inherited the family workshop and exploited the possibilities of piece-moulding to great effect, producing Madonna reliefs in large editions but in varying combinations of different sections.  The frame on this object, for example, was not designed specifically for the relief: the figures are slightly too short, and the height has had to be made up with the addition of a small white ledge.  Other examples of this relief exist without the frame, or without the cherubs in the background. \r\n\r\nThe relief was purchased in Florence, where it was noted to have been \"let into the wall of a house...over an inner or court yard doorway\" (Robinson, quoted in Pope-Hennessy, <u>Catalogue of Italian Renaissance Sculpture</u>).  The figures of the Virgin and Child would have been seen looking down on the inhabitants of the house, perhaps affording them their protection.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Relief, the Virgin and Child, tin-glazed terracotta, by the workshop of Andrea della Robbia, Italy (Florence), ca.1475-1500","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Gentilini, Giancarlo, <u>I della Robbia.  La scultura invetriata nel Rinascimento</u>,  Florence : 1992, p. 271, n. 23."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Gentilini, Giancarlo (ed.), <u>I della Robbia e l'arte nuova della scultura invetriata</u>,  Fiesole, 1998, p. 89."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Curtis, Penelope, <u>Depth of Field: the place of relief in the time of Donatello</u>, Leeds : Henry Moore Institute, 2004, cat. 43."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Inventory of Art Objects Acquired in the Year 1861 <u>In</u>: <u>Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, Arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol I</u>. London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 13"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Maclagan, Eric and Longhurst, Margaret H. <u>Catalogue of Italian Sculpture. Text</u>. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1932, p. 51."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Pope-Hennessy, John, assisted by Lightbown, Ronald, Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London: HMSO 1964 (3 vols) vol. 1, cat. 213, pp. 222-223."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Santi, Bruno. In: Gentilini, Giancarlo (ed.). <u>I Della Robbia e L'Arte Nuova della Scultura Invetriata</u>, (exh. cat.). Fiesole, Basilica di Sant' Alessandro, 1998, p. 89, illus."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Mary (Virgin Mary)","id":"N480"},{"text":"The Christ Child","id":"N1185"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"THE VIRGIN AND CHILD \r\nAbout 1475–1500\r\nWorkshop of Andrea della Robbia (1435–1525) \nCentre right\n\nThe della Robbia workshop specialised in glazed terracottas. \nThese were both colourful and durable, as well as cheaper\r\nthan marble or stone. The frame is not\roriginal to the relief, though it is typical of della Robbia ware of the time.\n\nItaly, Florence\nTin-glazed terracotta\nMuseum no. 7547-1861","date":{"text":"2020","earliest":"2020-01-01","latest":"2020-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["7547-1861"],"accessionNumberNum":"7547","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1861,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN1013","2019LP4156","2019LV8415"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-30","recordCreationDate":"2004-02-25","availableToBook":false}}