Italy, Florence / c. 1520–29
Dovizia (Plenty)
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Dovizia (Plenty) as sculpture (Italy, Florence · c. 1520–29).
Inspired by an over life-sized, public sculpture by Donatello, Giovanni della Robbia reduced the figure for a domestic setting.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this sculpture as glazed terracotta and credits Giovanni della Robbia (Italian, 1469–1529/30).
The museum's collection notes: Many elite Florentine Renaissance homes had sculptures of idealized young women carrying nature’s bounty, such as this work. The motif stems from a statue by Donatello (about 1386–1466) that towered over Florence’s main public market. At home, however, the sculpture became a talisman for the family’s well-being. The city-state’s low birth rate was a serious political matter, and such a sculpture was believed to stimulate fertility while also promoting motherhood and bolstering financial success.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtDovizia (Plenty)Original explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.