Workshop Practice Revealed by Two Architectural Reliefs by Andrea Della Robbia

Abstract

architectural reliefs in The Metropolitan Museum of Art revealed fingerprints, tool marks, coded numbering systems, and an apparent nonchalance with handling clay that provided fresh insight into the dynamic human engagement and mastery of the material that is characteristic of the Della Robbia workshop. The backs and sides of reliefs that are often hidden from the viewer— because they are framed, situated in niches, or mortared into a wall or ceiling—contain information that can lead to a deeper understanding of the creative process, perhaps more directly than any other source. During the critical early stages of conservation treatment, which are predominantly activities of observation and examination, conservators may rely on microchemical tests or Workshop Practice Revealed by Two Architectural Reliefs by Andrea Della Robbia