rushedMadonna and Child, c. 1475
glazed terracotta
National Gallery of Art, Washington
Luca della Robbia was a Florentine sculptor best remembered for his works in terracotta, and for developing the glazing technique seen in this work. He founded an impressive family dynasties of artists: his nephew Andrea della Robbia was also accomplished sculptor, as were several of Andrea's sons.
Detail images of this work are available for any aspiring gardeners who want to take a closer look at those flowers.
In related news, those of you who are interested in goofy comic book covers should check out Polite Dissent, Raw Feed, and Yet Another Comics Blog, each of which are featuring holiday-themed comic book covers every day through Christmas. If nothing else, make sure you look at the December 2 cover at Raw Feed, the December 3 cover at Polite Dissent, and, for you monkey fans out there, the December 5 cover at YACB.
