Giovanni della Robbia

Giovanni della Robbia (1469–1529) was an Italian Renaissance ceramic artist.

Giovanni della Robbia was the son of Andrea della Robbia (1435–1525), brother of Girolamo della Robbia (1488–1566) and grandnephew of Luca della Robbia (1399/1400–1482).

During a great part of his life he worked as assistant to his father and inherited the workshop after his father's death, enhancing the polychrome character of the ceramic glaze works. In many cases the enamelled sculpture of the two were difficult to distinguish, and a very large number of pieces of Robbia-ware which were attributed to Andrea, and even to Andrea’s uncle Luca, were really by the hand of Giovanni. Neither Luca nor Andrea was in the habit of signing his work, but Giovanni often did so, usually adding the date, probably because other potters had begun to imitate the Robbia ware. Examples of these imitations are a retable in the Basilica of San Lucchese near Poggibonsi dated 1514, another of the Madonna and Saints at Monte San Savino of 1525, and a third in the Capuchin church of Arceria near Senigallia. Some of them may have been made by assistants trained in the Robbia workshops.

One of his finest works is a large retable at Volterra in the church of San Girolamo, dated 1501; it represents the Last Judgment, and is remarkable for the fine modelling of the figures, especially that of the archangel Michael, and a nude kneeling figure of a youth who has just risen from his tomb. Another work that equalled that anything of his father's, from whom the design of the figures was probably taken, is the washings fountain in the sacristy of the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella at Florence, made in 1497. It is a large arched recess with a view of the seashore painted on maiolica tiles at the back. There are also two painted maiolica panels of fruit trees let into the lower part. In the tympanum of the arch is a white relief of the Madonna between two adoring angels. Long coloured garlands of fruit and flowers are held by nude boys reclining on the top of the arch and others standing on the cornice. All this part is of enamelled clay, but the basin of the fountain is of white marble.

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