Italian artist, son of Andrea della Robbia. He trained with his father and is documented in the family workshop from 1487, where he collaborated on projects including the marble altar of S Maria delle Grazie in Arezzo (1487–93). By c. 1495 he also worked independently. His first documented work, the lavabo in the sacristy of Santa Maria Novella (Florence), completed in 1498, already shows his characteristic decorative exuberance and it has a particularly beautiful river landscape painted in the lunette. Giovanni's individual style is more apparent in two altarpieces for the convent of San Girolamo in Volterra (Last Judgement, 1501, and St Francis Giving the Rule to St Louis and St Elizabeth of Hungary), in which the figures are very lively. He also produced decorative jars, vases and stemmi, for example 36 jars ordered for the hospital of Santa Maria Nuova, Florence, of which one example is known (1507; Sevres, Musée Nationale de Céramique). //