Earth and fire: Italian terracotta sculpture from Donatello to Canova

Abstract

This book is an ambitious work that surveys the development of a major sculptural medium in Italy across four centuries. It is the first work of its kind to consider the varieties of fired clay sculpture, especially in the context of the sculptural process. Whenever possible, clay models have been juxtaposed with finished works in order to show changes between a sculptor's initial concept and the final product. Over eighty objects are considered, ranging from drawings and sketch models to enamelled terracottas and marbles. The entries are supplemented by a series of essays, addressing major aspects of clay sculpture from the Renaissance to Neoclassicism. There is also a survey of recent information gleaned from the conservation of terracotta sculpture. The book is the catalogue of a major exhibition mounted by The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Many of the works have been especially conserved and examined for the exhibition and the result will be a major contribution to the study of European sculpture.