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Fra Mattia Della Robbia, Saint Joseph, Tuscany, Around 1505-1510
About the Item
Fra Mattia Della Robbia (Firenze 1468-1534)
Saint Joseph
Terracotta
Tuscany, around 1505-1510
55 x 40 x 30 cm
Marco della Robbia the Younger (April 6, 1468 in Florence - 1534) dit Fra 'Mattia Della Robbia is an Italian monk and sculptor member of the Italian artist family Della Robbia, one of Andrea's five sons.
Modeled in terracotta, a medium that allows for greater realism compared to the abstract preciousness of enamelled ceramics, this sculpture is representative of the rich production of "presepi" which reached its peak in Florence between the end of the 15th century and the beginning of of the 16th century.
A sculpture of Saint Joseph comparable to this one was made for the Spedale degli Innocenti in Florence, a 15th century building by Brunelleschi, today on display at the eponymous museum. The presepi of Fra Ambrogio and Fra Mattia are, like our Saint Joseph, made of cold-painted terracotta.
The subjects made for official commissions were often reiterated for private commissions, eager to compete with the city's most important aristocratic families by offering themselves the works of the most prestigious artists of their time as a means of social distinction.
This sculpture of Saint Joseph was probably part of a complete crib realized by Fra Mattia della Robbia and the workshop and inspired by the famous model still preserved at the Ospedale degli Innocenti.
- Attributed to:Della Robbia (Artist)
- Dimensions:Height: 21.66 in (55 cm)Width: 15.75 in (40 cm)Depth: 14.57 in (37 cm)
- Style:Renaissance (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1510
- Condition:Minor losses. One hand is missing.
- Seller Location:Bruxelles, BE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU6666233714812
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