FIRST U.S. EXHIBITION OF DELLA ROBBIA SCULPTURES TRAVELS TO NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART, WASHINGTON

Washington, DC

More than 500 years after their creation, Della Robbia terracotta sculptures endure as some of the most innovative and expressive examples of art from the Italian Renaissance. On view at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, West Building from February 5 through June 4, 2017, Della Robbia: Sculpting with Color in Renaissance Florence is the first major American exhibition dedicated to works by three generations of the Della Robbia family and their competitors. The exhibition travels to the Gallery, the only other venue, after premiering at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) from August 9 to December 4, 2016.

Some 40 examples illustrate the range of sculptural types produced by the workshop—Madonna and Child reliefs, architectural decoration, portraits, household statuettes, and large-scale figures in the round. Even today the ceramics retain their signature opaque whites, deep cerulean blues, and lively greens, purples, and yellows, due to the glazing technique invented by sculptor Luca della Robbia (1399/1400–1482). While drawn chiefly from American collections, the exhibition also includes six major loans from Italy, among them Luca’s masterpiece, The Visitation (c. 1445). On loan from the church of San Giovanni Fuorcivitas in Pistoia, the work is traveling to the United States for the first time for the exhibition’s two venues.

“With the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Gallery is proud to present the first exhibition in the United States devoted to the wonderful sculptures of the Della Robbia family, which stand the test of time as powerful examples of Renaissance creativity and refinement,” said Earl A. Powell III, director, National Gallery of Art, Washington. “The sculptures selected also show the perception of American collectors who brought so many superb Della Robbia works to this country. We are grateful to the Altria Group and to the Antinori family for making the exhibition possible, and to Sally Engelhard Pingree and The Charles Engelhard Foundation, the Buffy and William Cafritz Family Foundation, and The Exhibition Circle for their generous support.”

“Supporting and celebrating the arts has always been important to our family, and we’re honored that the Della Robbia exhibition and the newly renovated Resurrection of Christ lunette featuring one of our ancestors and the family coat of arms will be showcased in the renowned National Gallery of Art,” said Alessia Antinori, the 26th generation of the Tuscan winemaking family.

“Those who come to see Della Robbia: Sculpting with Color in Renaissance Florence will be impressed by the dramatic use of bright colors and the sheer size of some of these Renaissance moremasterpieces,” said Ted Baseler, President and CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. “We are very pleased to support this incredible exhibition in the nation’s capital.”

The exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, in association with the National Gallery of Art.

This exhibition is made possible by Altria Group on behalf of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, and by Marchesi Antinori S.p.A. Major support is provided by Sally Engelhard Pingree and The Charles Engelhard Foundation, and the Buffy and William Cafritz Family Foundation. Additional funding is provided by The Exhibition Circle of the National Gallery of Art.

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