ROBBIA, Luca della
(b. 1399/1400, Firenze, d. 1482, Firenze)

Interior

1440s
Glazed terracotta
Pazzi Chapel, Santa Croce, Florence

The Pazzi Chapel was founded by Andrea dei Pazzi in 1429 as the chapterhouse in the first cloister of Santa Croce. The decoration of the chapel was an important phase of Luca della Robbia's career. The twelve medallions depicting the classical figures of the Apostles in white on a blue background are well suited to the sober lines of the architecture and to the general two-colour scheme of the gray pietra serena on white walls and vaults. The decoration of the chapel was completed with the application of polychrome glazed terracotta representations of the four Evangelists in the pendentives of the cupola; it is debated whether they are the work of Luca, Brunelleschi, Donatello, or a sculptor from the workshop of Andrea della Robbia.




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