Adoration of the Child

myminifactory

One of the most remarkable works by Andrea is the series of reliefs of the Infant Jesus in white on a blue ground set on the front of the foundling hospital in Florence. These child-figures are modelled with skill and variety, no two being alike. Andrea also produced, for guilds and private persons, a large number of reliefs of the Madonna and Child varied with much invention. These are frequently framed with realistic yet decorative garlands of fruit and flowers painted with coloured enamels, while the main relief is left white. The colour blue was designated to the Virgin Mary and was heavily used in Della Robbia's work, a symbol of purity and innocence.