Tondo
Workshop of Giovanni della Robbia Italian
The della Robbia were a family of Florentine sculptors who were famous for their tin-glazed terracotta relief sculptures. The family expanded the traditional blue and white palette of glazes to a broader range of colors, as seen in the present work, which was produced by the workshop of Giovanni della Robbia. The tondo bears the emblem associated with the church of San Lorenzo in Florence or with its dependency -- the suburban church of San Marco Vecchio. The emblem consists of a cross and two ears of wheat above a gridiron, set in a white-glazed egg-and-dart frame, surrounded by a wreath of fruit, pinecones, and leaves bound with ribbons.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.