Andrea della Robbia, a favorite nephew and…

Andrea della Robbia, a favorite nephew and pupil of sculptor Luca della Robbia, popularizes terra cotta sculptures by giving them a sweeter, softer look and more colors.

Born in Florence, Robbia is the son of Marco della Robbia, whose brother, Luca della Robbia, had popularized the use of glazed terra-cotta for sculpture.

Andrea, who is the most important artist of ceramic glaze of the times, has carried on the production of the enamelled reliefs on a much larger scale than his uncle had ever done; he has also extended its application to various architectural uses, such as friezes and to the making of lavabos, fountains and large retables.

One variety of method has been introduced in his enameled work.

Sometimes he omits the enamel on the face and hands of his figures, especially in those cases where he has treated the heads in a realistic manner; as, for example, in the tympanum relief of the meeting of St Domenic and St Francis in the loggia of the Florentine hospital of San Paolo, a design suggested by a fresco of Fra Angelico's in the cloister of St Mark's.

One of the most remarkable works by Andrea is the series of medallions with reliefs of the Infant Jesus in white on a blue ground set on the front of the foundling hospital in Florence.

These child-figures are individually modeled with skill and variety.

Andrea has also produced, for guilds and private persons, a large number of reliefs of the Madonna and Child varied with much invention.

These are frequently framed with realistic yet decorative garlands of fruit and flowers painted with colored enamels, while the main relief is left white.

The hospital of San Paolo, near Santa Maria Novella, has also a number of fine medallions with reliefs of saints, two of Christ Healing the Sick, and two fine portraits, under which are white plaques inscribed "DALL ANNO 1451 ALL ANNO 1495".

The first of these dates is the year when the hospital was rebuilt owing to a papal brief sent to the archbishop of Florence.