DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61670#0057
LUCA AND ANDREA DELLA ROBBIA 31
And yet in spite of the dearth of incident, they stand out to
us clear, well-defined, sharply-contrasted personalities. The
Artist can be known by his works when the impulse for these
is true and strong and from within. Such it was invariably
with Luca, whose individuality is revealed thereby as clearly as
volumes of memoirs could make it. Such it was in his earlier
work and occasionally up to the last, with Andrea, sufficient at
least to give us, if not so substantial a figure, indications that
fix his personality well in the mind. Such works show us Luca
as a man of adamant, inflexible of will and purpose, energetic,
earnest, and truthful—a man with the highest standard of life
as of art, optimistic and self-reliant. And Andrea they show
almost as a contrast, a man earnest and truthful indeed, but
lacking those qualities of strength and determination by which
earnestness and truthfulness acquire their highest value; a man
whose instinctive sincerity has been warped by timidity and lack
of stability, but who remains, nevertheless, full of charm and
sweetness. Our ignorance of their private life leaves us free to
appreciate the broad significant features of character revealed
by their art, undisturbed by anecdote, which being necessarily
fragmentary and partial, can hardly give, so true a portrait.
From their works we construct for ourselves, in Luca one of
the stateliest, in Andrea one of the gentlest and sweetest figures
of the fifteenth century.1
1 I have not reproduced the so-called portrait of Luca della Robbia given in
the second edition of his Vite, chiefly because it seems to be quite unauthenticated,
and partly also because its baroque surroundings strike too discordant and un-
pleasing a note.
And yet in spite of the dearth of incident, they stand out to
us clear, well-defined, sharply-contrasted personalities. The
Artist can be known by his works when the impulse for these
is true and strong and from within. Such it was invariably
with Luca, whose individuality is revealed thereby as clearly as
volumes of memoirs could make it. Such it was in his earlier
work and occasionally up to the last, with Andrea, sufficient at
least to give us, if not so substantial a figure, indications that
fix his personality well in the mind. Such works show us Luca
as a man of adamant, inflexible of will and purpose, energetic,
earnest, and truthful—a man with the highest standard of life
as of art, optimistic and self-reliant. And Andrea they show
almost as a contrast, a man earnest and truthful indeed, but
lacking those qualities of strength and determination by which
earnestness and truthfulness acquire their highest value; a man
whose instinctive sincerity has been warped by timidity and lack
of stability, but who remains, nevertheless, full of charm and
sweetness. Our ignorance of their private life leaves us free to
appreciate the broad significant features of character revealed
by their art, undisturbed by anecdote, which being necessarily
fragmentary and partial, can hardly give, so true a portrait.
From their works we construct for ourselves, in Luca one of
the stateliest, in Andrea one of the gentlest and sweetest figures
of the fifteenth century.1
1 I have not reproduced the so-called portrait of Luca della Robbia given in
the second edition of his Vite, chiefly because it seems to be quite unauthenticated,
and partly also because its baroque surroundings strike too discordant and un-
pleasing a note.