Madonna and Child with young Saint John

The large altar piece in glazed terracotta, depicting the Madonna and Child with young St. John, was commissioned in 1523 by Giovacchino di Filippo Macinghi, the podesta of Vinci. This is clearly evidenced by the inscription and coats of arms on the predella: to the sides, the arms of the municipality of Vinci, with its turreted castle, and at the center, the aristocratic arms of the Macinghi.

The artist creating the sculpture was Giovanni della Robbia, son of the renowned Luca, inventor of this original and successful artistic technique involving the use of tin-bearing enamels and metal oxides during the second firing. These additions were capable of giving the work a great shine and excellent resistance through time and against atmospheric agents.Giovanni’s decorative and coloristic taste is evident in the tile motif serving as background to the sacred representation, inside a rich multicolored frame with festoons of leaves, fruits, and flowers.