ANST - Terracotta Sculpture

[D. R. Hoffpauir]

"Nathan W. Jones" wrote:

> David St.David wrote:
> >    It's been just long enough since my Art History days
> >to be foggy, but I recall there was just this sort of work
> >shop in Florence in the 15th century.  Founded by Luca della
> >Robbia, it specialized in religious terra-cotta bas-relief
> >used as architectural decorative elements.
>
> [more great info snipped]
>
> Woohoo!  Thank you David!  This is exactly the type of reference
> that I was hoping for!  Like I mentioned in my original email
> I've found examples of representitive three dimensonal terracotta
> sculpture in Antiquity, but have found scant references to it
> in our period.  Especially in Medieval and Renaissance Europe.
> I will throw myself in this thread of research with abandon!

Gio,

    I've looked into the della Robbia stuff some more. Gardener's 'Art Through
the Ages' credits Luca della Robbia with being first to mass produce terra cotta
sculpture in the Renaissance.  He is also credited with starting the movement to
'sweetness and lightness' in sculptural figures.  Gardener specifically mentions
Luca's works were done as a cheap alternative to marble and that they were very
popular.  della Robbia was not the only artist working in terra cotta.
Donatello and many others to follow did as well.  What separated della Robbia
was a new method of glazing.

    Majolica, a lead based glaze at the time, was well know, but was
unpredictable in results and produced a dull color and finish.  Sometime around
1430, Luca della Robbia began substituting tin which gave predictable results
and a high color finish.  His success was not only in that he mass produced
objects cheaply, he also made them colorful and attractive.  These works were
some of the first 'art objects' affordable to the middle class.  Following della
Robbia, Majolica glazes use tin oxide.  All sort of utilitarian ceramics
(plates, bowls, salt cellars, ink wells) with non-religious decorative elements
are common trade items by 1500.

    Other than the use of terra cotta as an architectural element, the trail
seems to stop (in period) before della Robbia.  If you find anything let me
know.

    ....I snipped the portion of my message that dives off into early Italian
Renaissance art and the notion of 'art for arts sake.'  If you are interested
let me know and I'll forward it.

cheers,
David St. David

>
> Gio
> Northkeep
> Ansteorra
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