DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61670#0410
224 GIOVANNI DELLA ROBBIA
dramatic the action in the polychromatic Adoration of the
Magi, No. 4412 of the South Kensington Collection, a work
unaccountably attributed by most of the critics to Andrea
himself.1 With Andrea it has nothing in common, with
Giovanni everything. The theatrical style, the deep per-
spective, the half - painted landscape background, are all
peculiarities of his unsculpturesque methods of work, and
the designs of both frieze and architrave are characteristic.
The altarpiece has great charm, and is among the best of
these pictorial scenes. It was executed, as the stemmi in the
base bear evidence, for the Cerchi family of Florence.
Two other Nativities, those of the Convent of the
Cappucini, Barga, and of the Chiesa degli Angeli, La Verna,
are but late and imitative work by the atelier. Giovanni
himself can hardly be accused of executing these badly
coloured and meretricious works which represent the most
vapid period of the late bottega.
The curiously eclectic altarpiece of the Church of S. Giro-
lamo, Volterra, representing the Last Judgment, is a work
of different character, dignified and powerful, worthy to be
placed with the Verna Ascension as one of Giovanni’s best pro-
ductions. The base is inscribed: Qvesta tavola affatto
FARE MICHEL-AGNIOLO DI NICHOLAIO CEHEREGLI MCCCCCI.
The date gives a certain basis for the grouping of these tran-
sitional works with elaborate landscape backgrounds. In gene-
ral composition it follows the usual style of Andrea and the
figure of the Archangel is evidently inspired by the S. Michael
of the Brunswick Lunette, while the naked youth who kneels
before him is a repetition from Giovanni’s own figure in the
medallion—Christ Healing the Sick Youth—on the Loggia
di S. Paolo. The face of Christ on the other hand is of
1 The Tondo No. 7752 of the same Collection, though probably executed
under the superintendence of Giovanni, and of a late date, does not seem to show
any traces of his own hand. In the curves of the angel’s draperies, the type of
faces, and the absence of haloes, there is evident intention to imitate the style of
Luca. The Tondo was in Casa Mozzi, Florence, Vasari, ii. 192.
dramatic the action in the polychromatic Adoration of the
Magi, No. 4412 of the South Kensington Collection, a work
unaccountably attributed by most of the critics to Andrea
himself.1 With Andrea it has nothing in common, with
Giovanni everything. The theatrical style, the deep per-
spective, the half - painted landscape background, are all
peculiarities of his unsculpturesque methods of work, and
the designs of both frieze and architrave are characteristic.
The altarpiece has great charm, and is among the best of
these pictorial scenes. It was executed, as the stemmi in the
base bear evidence, for the Cerchi family of Florence.
Two other Nativities, those of the Convent of the
Cappucini, Barga, and of the Chiesa degli Angeli, La Verna,
are but late and imitative work by the atelier. Giovanni
himself can hardly be accused of executing these badly
coloured and meretricious works which represent the most
vapid period of the late bottega.
The curiously eclectic altarpiece of the Church of S. Giro-
lamo, Volterra, representing the Last Judgment, is a work
of different character, dignified and powerful, worthy to be
placed with the Verna Ascension as one of Giovanni’s best pro-
ductions. The base is inscribed: Qvesta tavola affatto
FARE MICHEL-AGNIOLO DI NICHOLAIO CEHEREGLI MCCCCCI.
The date gives a certain basis for the grouping of these tran-
sitional works with elaborate landscape backgrounds. In gene-
ral composition it follows the usual style of Andrea and the
figure of the Archangel is evidently inspired by the S. Michael
of the Brunswick Lunette, while the naked youth who kneels
before him is a repetition from Giovanni’s own figure in the
medallion—Christ Healing the Sick Youth—on the Loggia
di S. Paolo. The face of Christ on the other hand is of
1 The Tondo No. 7752 of the same Collection, though probably executed
under the superintendence of Giovanni, and of a late date, does not seem to show
any traces of his own hand. In the curves of the angel’s draperies, the type of
faces, and the absence of haloes, there is evident intention to imitate the style of
Luca. The Tondo was in Casa Mozzi, Florence, Vasari, ii. 192.