Not currently on display at the V&A

Cast of figure of Geronimo, Algerian Martyr, Museum Algiers

Photograph
ca. 1910 (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Algiers (photographed)
Algeria (photographed)

A mounted sepia-coloured photograph of a cast of a prone figure on marble base. The mount is inscribed with a summary of the story of the Martyr Geronimo.


Object details

Categories
Photographs
Sculpture
Topography
Museums
Object type
Photograph
TitleCast of figure of Geronimo, Algerian Martyr, Museum Algiers (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Albumen print
Photographic Paper
Photography
Brief description
Photograph of cast of figure of Geronimo, Algerian Martyr, Museum Algiers, albumen print, ca. 1910
Physical description
A mounted sepia-coloured photograph of a cast of a prone figure on marble base. The mount is inscribed with a summary of the story of the Martyr Geronimo.
Dimensions
  • Mount height: 18.5cm
  • Mount width: 27.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Cast of figure of Geronimo, Algerian Martyr, Museum Algiers, Sculpture, "In 1569 Geronimo a young Arab became a Christian. He had to flee for his life to France for a time but, on his return to Algiers he was captured, imprisoned and tortured; and offered life only on condition of recanting and becoming again a Mohammedan. This he refused to do. The Bey of Algiers ordered him to be laid at the bottom of a mould concrete to pour over him. This done he built him into the castle wall. An eyewitness described the exact position of the Block.."in the hope" he said "that one day God would bring to light the remains of his faithful martyr Geronimo" Cast of figure in Museum Algiers. 1853 300 years afterwards the French pulled down the old fortifications. They looked for the block of concrete + found it. It sounded hollow. They drilled a hole in it and poured in plaster of Paris. On breaking the block they got a perfect cast of Geronimo, as he was on the day that he was buried alive in concrete. You see his hands tied behind his back, his short Arab drawers. his head dress; + the very expression of his face." Reverse side: "Presented by Col. Willoughby Wallace, G.M.J., J.P."'
  • (National Art Library blind stamp)
Object history
This photograph is part of a set collected by Canon Wallace of Bristol in the 1870's and 1880's, and presented to the museum in 1918 by Colonel Willoughby Wallace, his brother.
Subjects depicted
Martyrs
Casts
Sculptures
Place depicted
Algiers
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
1195-1918

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Record createdApril 15, 2014
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1291101/cast-of-figure-of-geronimo-photograph-unknown/
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