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Heraldic medallion with the arms of the Gaetani and Minerbetti families

Possibly Giovanni della Robbia Italian
After 1493
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 521
Heraldic medallions were among the most numerous productions of the Della Robbia workshop. Important families recorded their names for posterity by decorating building facades with their coats of arms. This example displays the insignia of two united families following the marriage between Giovanni Gaetani and Alessandra Minerbetti in 1493. The medallion’s design replicates a popular model that features a blue scalloped bowl framed by a garland. Bearing fruits that never spoil and flowers that never wilt, the garland symbolizes the family’s everlasting prosperity.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Heraldic medallion with the arms of the Gaetani and Minerbetti families
  • Artist: Della Robbia Workshop
  • Artist: Possibly Giovanni della Robbia (Italian, Florence 1469–1529/30 Florence)
  • Date: After 1493
  • Culture: Italian, Florence
  • Medium: Glazed terracotta
  • Dimensions: wt. confirmed: 22 1/2 × 22 1/2 in., 40 lb. (57.2 × 57.2 cm, 18.1 kg)
  • Classification: Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
  • Object Number: 17.190.743
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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