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The story of the sculptor Luca della Robbia, who welcomed children into his studio and derived inspiration from them, gives a glimpse of the art of Renaissance Italy. In devising a way to use glazed enamel over terra-cotta in place of costly bronze or marble, Luca made sculpture available even to poor country parishes.

Miss Downer wished only to tell a story that had caught her fancy ... More

The story of the sculptor Luca della Robbia, who welcomed children into his studio and derived inspiration from them, gives a glimpse of the art of Renaissance Italy. In devising a way to use glazed enamel over terra-cotta in place of costly bronze or marble, Luca made sculpture available even to poor country parishes.

Miss Downer wished only to tell a story that had caught her fancy - that of the fifteenth century sculptor, his famous nephew Andrea, and the della Robbia workshop. In so doing she has, as always, conveyed a great deal more - her own pleasure in her subject.

Photographs show the singing and dancing children of Luca's marble Cantoria, or Singing Gallery, the enameled Madonnas and portrait plaques, and the "bambini" in swaddling clothes, associated with the name della Robbia. Mr. Funai's drawings bring the Florentine background to life.

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