Figure
- Gallery: Room 2a
- Maker: Giovanni della Robbia
- Made in: Florence (city)
- Date: 1500-1510 (circa)
- Object type: figure
- Materials: earthenware
- Museum number: WB.65
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you stands a striking figure representing Fortuna, goddess of fortune. She is depicted on a dolphin, holding a flowing sail in one hand while standing with confident grace. The sculpture is crafted in earthenware and covered in a glossy white glaze, enhanced with striking blue and green colors.
This work comes from Florence in the early 16th century and was made by Giovanni della Robbia, a master known for his detailed sculptural figures. Fortuna's fluid posture and expressive features reflect the artistic style of the time, echoing influences from classical sculpture and Renaissance figures like those by Donatello and Botticelli.
The figure’s rich colors and careful modeling suggest it may have been part of a larger decorative scheme, possibly connected to fountains or architectural displays. Though largely unknown today, it stands as one of Giovanni della Robbia’s most impressive sculptural achievements.
See it in person
Figure is on display in Room 2a at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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