Fire Imp
Wall Hanging
1974 (made)
1974 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
'Fire Imp' was made by Antony Robinson in 1974 as an experiment to create a modern piece of work, using ancient iron-forging techniques. His original training was as a plumber and he taught himself ironworking from Fritz Kuhn's book 'Wrought Iron'. However, his grandfather had been a blacksmith on the Great Western Railway and he was taking up what had been a family trade. He began making ironwork in 1964 and 'Fire Imp' was his first major piece, which he regarded as marking a very important point in his artistic development.
Antony Robinson was one of the first artist-blacksmiths and a key part of the 'Renaissance' in blacksmithing in England in the 1970s and 1980s, represented at the exhibition 'Towards a new iron age', held at the V&A in 1982.
Antony Robinson was one of the first artist-blacksmiths and a key part of the 'Renaissance' in blacksmithing in England in the 1970s and 1980s, represented at the exhibition 'Towards a new iron age', held at the V&A in 1982.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Title | Fire Imp (assigned by artist) |
Materials and techniques | Wrought iron and bronze |
Brief description | Wall hanging, forged iron and bronze, designed and made by Antony Robinson, England, 1974. |
Physical description | Flame like ornamentation, made of forged steel of varying width and length with small bronze additions. |
Dimensions |
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Credit line | Given by Antony Robinson |
Historical context | ‘Fire Imp’ was made in 1974 as an experiment to create a modern piece of work, using ancient iron-forging techniques. Antony Robinson's original training was as a plumber and he taught himself ironworking from Fritz Kuhn’s book ‘Wrought Iron’. He began making ironwork in 1964 and ‘Fire Imp’ was his first major piece, which he regards as marking a very important point in his artistic development. His father's father had been a blacksmith on the G.W.R., and he was taking up what had been a family trade/craft. ref, letter from Anthony Robinson, 22nd April, 1998 on RP 78/1089. Antony Robinson was one of the first artist-blacksmiths and a key part of the ‘Renaissance’ in blacksmithing in England in the 1970s and 1980s, represented at the exhibition ‘Towards a new iron age’, held at the V&A in 1982. |
Summary | 'Fire Imp' was made by Antony Robinson in 1974 as an experiment to create a modern piece of work, using ancient iron-forging techniques. His original training was as a plumber and he taught himself ironworking from Fritz Kuhn's book 'Wrought Iron'. However, his grandfather had been a blacksmith on the Great Western Railway and he was taking up what had been a family trade. He began making ironwork in 1964 and 'Fire Imp' was his first major piece, which he regarded as marking a very important point in his artistic development. Antony Robinson was one of the first artist-blacksmiths and a key part of the 'Renaissance' in blacksmithing in England in the 1970s and 1980s, represented at the exhibition 'Towards a new iron age', held at the V&A in 1982. |
Other number | LOAN:ROBINSON.1 - Previous loan number |
Collection | |
Accession number | M.217-2011 |
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Record created | December 15, 2006 |
Record URL |
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