Workshop of Andrea della Robbia (1435-1525) Italian, Florence, circa 1500

Overall, the relief is in very good condition, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are a number of dark coloured fissures in the glaze, in particular in the blue ground. There are a few small chips to the terracotta, in particular to the Virgin's upper lip, to the Christ Child's toes, and to an area of the blue ground to the right of the Virgin's head. There are various minor air bubbles and impurities in the glaze, in particular in the white glaze of the bottom edge. There is a small chip to the Holy Spirit's beak. There are two small firing cracks at either side of the lower edge besides the Virgin's throne. There is general wear to the frame, including flaking and rubbing to the polychromy and gilding. A piece of the lower edge of the frame is detached. There are a few drill holes in the wood frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present relief shows a wonderfully intimate portrait of the Virgin and Child enthroned. The Child, in a childlike innocent gesture, clasps the Virgin's chest: she in return holds the toes of the Child's right foot between two fingers. Andrea della Robbia became particularly well known during his career for his various compositions of the Virgin and Child. The present relief is a variation on the so-called 'Bocca di Rio' type, named after the archetype in the sanctuary of Bocca di Rio, Santa Maria delle Grazie. With the four winged putti and the dove representing the Holy Spirit, the present relief is closer to this original than some other known versions, such as the figures analysed by Gentilini (op. cit., pp 200-201), which show more figures of winged putti. Other related models include the 'Bargello' type, with the Virgin and child in a similar pose on a garlanded roundel and lacking any putti, and the 'Liechtenstein' type, called after the rectangular model in Vaduz, part of the collections of the Prince of Liechtenstein. 

The simple intimacy of the composition, along with the sweetness and familiarity expressed in the depiction and the attractiveness of the vibrant colours, must have resonated with the contemporary Florentine audience. Andrea continued the present composition, with further variations in the Christ Child's pose, the background, and the shape of the relief, until the first decade of the sixteenth century. 

RELATED LITERATURE
G. Gentilini, I Della Robbia e l'arte nuova della scultura invetriata, exh. cat., Fiesole, 1998, nos II.12-II.13; Les Della Robbia, Sculptures en terre cuite émaillée de la Renaissance italienne, exh. cat., Musée du Louvre, Paris, 2002, pp. 94-102; I Della Robbia, Il dialogo tra le Arti nel Rinascimento, exh cat., Arezzo, 2009, no. 58