preview

The Della Robbia Exhibition At The Boston Museum Of Fine Arts

Good Essays

I was lucky enough to be able to visit the Della Robbia exhibition at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts twice this semester. This was one of the first major exhibitions for Della Robbia in the United States. The Della Robbia series began with Luca della Robbia in the 15th century, and this exhibition showcased 46 works of his family and associated workshops. The exhibition itself was breathtaking and unique. The creamy, white gazed terracotta statues and displays were breathtaking and unique in their own way. However, the one artwork that caught my attention was the Resurrection of Christ by Giovanni Della Robbia, only one of the few colorful works that are in this exhibition. One can simply write books about the technique, symbolism and the references that are present in this magnificent work. If one was to look at this relief for the first time, they can easily date it back to the early Renaissance period without having to do any research. The first indicator is that the patron or commissioner of this work is depicted in the work. Although patrons have been in artworks before, the difference between this artwork and others is that the patron of this work was not present at the scene of the Resurrection whereas other patrons were present while their work, probably being a portrait, was being worked on. Furthermore, the soldiers that were guarding the tomb were most probably not dressed the way they are depicted in the artwork and there are no accounts of other soldiers

Get Access