Boy playing the bagpipes, Italy

Boy playing the bagpipes
Italy, Florence
1490-1520
Tin-glazed earthenware, with decoration painted into the glaze
Museum no. 4677-1858
Given by HRH the Prince Consort

Andrea della Robbia, to whom this statue is attributed, belonged to a famous Florentine family of sculptors. He succeeded his uncle, Luca, who was an early exponent of the Renaissance style in Florence.

Luca was the first to make large-scale architectural sculpture in tin-glazed earthenware. Seated figures like this can be found surmounting altarpieces from the Della Robbia workshop.

Attributed to Andrea della Robbia (1435-1525)