St Barbara
Statuette
late 15th century (made)
late 15th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This satuette is made in the late 15th century by an unknown artist from Germany.
The statuette represents the standing figure of Saint Barbara holding a tower in her right hand and a branch in her left.
Saint Barbara was a Christian saint and martyr. She is the patron saint of artillerymen, military engineers and miners and all professions working with explosives.
Her legend seems not to have any historical foundation behind it. It tells that her father built a tower with two windows where he shut his daughter in to keep her away from her suitors. Later he even killed her. Barbara persuaded the workmen to add a third window to the tower, which symbolises the Trinity.
The father himself was then killed by a lightning and that is why Saint Barbara became the patroness of all professions related to gunfire and firearms.
The statuette is made of pipeclay, which is a fine white clay used to make tobacco pipes and pottery. Conveniently situated on a major trading route, Siegburg was a centre of ceramic production with well-organised workshops and kilns in which also pipe-clay figures were fired.
The statuette represents the standing figure of Saint Barbara holding a tower in her right hand and a branch in her left.
Saint Barbara was a Christian saint and martyr. She is the patron saint of artillerymen, military engineers and miners and all professions working with explosives.
Her legend seems not to have any historical foundation behind it. It tells that her father built a tower with two windows where he shut his daughter in to keep her away from her suitors. Later he even killed her. Barbara persuaded the workmen to add a third window to the tower, which symbolises the Trinity.
The father himself was then killed by a lightning and that is why Saint Barbara became the patroness of all professions related to gunfire and firearms.
The statuette is made of pipeclay, which is a fine white clay used to make tobacco pipes and pottery. Conveniently situated on a major trading route, Siegburg was a centre of ceramic production with well-organised workshops and kilns in which also pipe-clay figures were fired.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | St Barbara (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pipeclay |
| Brief description | Statuette, pipeclay, St. Barbara, Germany, late 15th century |
| Physical description | Standing figure of the saint holding a tower in her right hand and a branch in her left |
| Dimensions |
|
| Object history | Dug up near Cologne. Bought, 5s. |
| Production | Germany - Siegburg |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This satuette is made in the late 15th century by an unknown artist from Germany. The statuette represents the standing figure of Saint Barbara holding a tower in her right hand and a branch in her left. Saint Barbara was a Christian saint and martyr. She is the patron saint of artillerymen, military engineers and miners and all professions working with explosives. Her legend seems not to have any historical foundation behind it. It tells that her father built a tower with two windows where he shut his daughter in to keep her away from her suitors. Later he even killed her. Barbara persuaded the workmen to add a third window to the tower, which symbolises the Trinity. The father himself was then killed by a lightning and that is why Saint Barbara became the patroness of all professions related to gunfire and firearms. The statuette is made of pipeclay, which is a fine white clay used to make tobacco pipes and pottery. Conveniently situated on a major trading route, Siegburg was a centre of ceramic production with well-organised workshops and kilns in which also pipe-clay figures were fired. |
| Bibliographic reference | Inventory of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in the Years 1903 - 1904. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, During the Year 1903, Arranged According to the Dates of Acquisition with Appendix and Indices. London: Printed for His Majesty's Stationery Office, by Wyman and Sons, Limited, 1907, p. 250 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1460-1903 |
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| Record created | November 21, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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