St. Mark

Abstract

This is one of four glazed terracotta roundels of the Evangelists, as well as a frieze, that Andrea della Robbia created for Santa Maria delle Carceri in Prato, which was designed by Giuliano da Sangallo at the behest of Lorenzo de' Medici. The roundels are documented to have been installed by Andrea and his assistants in 1491. The sharp folds of the drapery and wiry curls of hair echo the work of such Florentine painters as Filippino Lippi. The evangelist sits on a cloud, as does his helpful winged lion -- no mere symbol, but an assistant, who uses his paw to hold open a book, while Mark prepares to write in another. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.