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Queen Victoria
Flatters, Johann Jacob, born 1786 - died 1845 - Enlarge image
Queen Victoria
- Object:
Bust
- Place of origin:
London, England (made)
- Date:
1843 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Flatters, Johann Jacob, born 1786 - died 1845 (sculptor)
- Materials and Techniques:
Marble
- Museum number:
A.36-1952
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 123, case 2
Object Type
This marble bust of Queen Victoria (reigned 1837-1901) shows her dressed simply, although her royal status is indicated by the royal coat of arms on the front of the socle (base). The bust was made six years after her accession to the throne by a German sculptor possibly known to her husband, Prince Albert (1819-1861). The exact circumstances for the commission are unknown.
People
The sculptor of the bust, Johann Jacob Flatters (1786-1845), was born in the German city of Krefeld, but trained at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts (School of Fine Arts) in Paris, under the French artists Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741-1828) and Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825). He exhibited at the Salon in Paris from 1810 to 1839 and was created a member of the Legion of Honour. He settled in London in 1842 and exhibited at the Royal Academy there in that year. He was also known as a book illustrator.
Materials & Making
Marble busts were among the most popular and prestigious types of public portrait in Britain during the Victorian period. The marble, a relatively expensive material, was imported, usually from Italy via the Netherlands, since there are no marble quarries in Britain. Aspiring artists might also learn the skill of carving marble abroad, where they would probably gain their most important training assisting an established sculptor.
