The Assumption of the Virgin
1486
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
About the artist
1486
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
The Assumption of the Virgin is a 1486 by Andrea della Robbia, a Renaissance work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This altarpiece shows Mary rising to heaven surrounded by angels. The figures have soft, glazed terracotta faces with bright blue and white robes. Cherubs peek from the clouds below. Its bright colors come from special glazes—common in Della Robbia work. The scene feels calm but grand, fitting for a church setting. Notice how the angels’ faces glow. See this in person at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
This tin-glazed terracotta altarpiece, attributed to Andrea della Robbia’s workshop, portrays the Assumption of the Virgin, depicting the moment when Saint Thomas is said to have received her girdle. The composition is a simplified adaptation of an earlier altarpiece created by Andrea della Robbia for a church in La Verna. It may have been commissioned by the Canigiani family, as it is believed to have originated from their villa in Tuscany. The work exemplifies the Della Robbia family’s signature technique of polychrome glazed terracotta sculpture.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Your cart is empty
Explore artworks →
