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Equestrian statue of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales

Statue
ca. 1876 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is the plaster model, made by Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm in ca. 1876, for the equestrian statue of the Prince of Wales, which was originally erected on the Esplanade in Bombay and moved to a location near the Bhau Daji Lad Museum (formerly Victoria and Albert Museum, Bombay). It was erected to commemorate the visit in 1875-7 of the Prince of Wales to India and was unveiled in June 1879.

Boehm (1834-1890) was an English sculptor and medallist born in Austrian, as the youngest son of Joseph Daniel Boehm (1794–1865), a court medallist and director of the Imperial Mint at Vienna. From 1848 to 1851 Joseph Edgar attended Leigh’s art academy (later Heatherley’s) in London and drew the Parthenon marbles in the British Museum. On his return to Vienna he enrolled at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste. Around 1858–9 he visited Italy, where he developed a lasting admiration for early Renaissance sculpture. From 1859 to 1862 he worked in Paris and was influenced by the work of Paul Gayrard (1807–1855). Boehm settled in London in 1862 where he befriended John Leech and John Everett Millais, both of whom he portrayed in statuettes in 1863. A statuette of William Makepeace Thackeray (1864) led to an edition of 70 plaster casts. Boehm frequently worked in terracotta, a material common in French sculpture but less familiar in English. Queen Victoria’s admiration of Boehm’s statuettes led to an association with the royal family that lasted from 1869 until his death. Most of Boehm’s works are portrait busts. Boehm was immensely prolific: some 360 different works are documented. He was a highly consistent sculptor, rarely deviating from his brand of realism. He was modest about his immense popularity and aware of his imaginative shortcomings (cit.: M. Stocker: 'Boehm, Joseph Edgar').


Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Model
  • Plinth
TitleEquestrian statue of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Plaster
Brief description
Statue, plaster, Equestrian statue of Albert Edward Prince of Wales, by Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, England, ca. 1876
Physical description
Plaster model. Study for the equestrian statue of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later Edward VII). On the pedestal are two reliefs, representing scenes from his visit to India.
Dimensions
  • Height: 154cm (figure)
  • Base height: 84cm (base )
Credit line
Boehm Bequest
Object history
Given by the executors of the late Sir J.E.Boehm.
Historical context
Originally erected on the Esplanade in Bombay.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This is the plaster model, made by Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm in ca. 1876, for the equestrian statue of the Prince of Wales, which was originally erected on the Esplanade in Bombay and moved to a location near the Bhau Daji Lad Museum (formerly Victoria and Albert Museum, Bombay). It was erected to commemorate the visit in 1875-7 of the Prince of Wales to India and was unveiled in June 1879.

Boehm (1834-1890) was an English sculptor and medallist born in Austrian, as the youngest son of Joseph Daniel Boehm (1794–1865), a court medallist and director of the Imperial Mint at Vienna. From 1848 to 1851 Joseph Edgar attended Leigh’s art academy (later Heatherley’s) in London and drew the Parthenon marbles in the British Museum. On his return to Vienna he enrolled at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste. Around 1858–9 he visited Italy, where he developed a lasting admiration for early Renaissance sculpture. From 1859 to 1862 he worked in Paris and was influenced by the work of Paul Gayrard (1807–1855). Boehm settled in London in 1862 where he befriended John Leech and John Everett Millais, both of whom he portrayed in statuettes in 1863. A statuette of William Makepeace Thackeray (1864) led to an edition of 70 plaster casts. Boehm frequently worked in terracotta, a material common in French sculpture but less familiar in English. Queen Victoria’s admiration of Boehm’s statuettes led to an association with the royal family that lasted from 1869 until his death. Most of Boehm’s works are portrait busts. Boehm was immensely prolific: some 360 different works are documented. He was a highly consistent sculptor, rarely deviating from his brand of realism. He was modest about his immense popularity and aware of his imaginative shortcomings (cit.: M. Stocker: 'Boehm, Joseph Edgar').
Bibliographic references
  • List of Objects in the Art Division South Kensington Museum acquired during the Year 1892. Arranged according to the dates of acquisition, with appendix and indices. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1893. pp. 226
  • Bilbey, Diane with Trusted, Marjorie. British Sculpture 1470 to 2000. A Concise Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: V& A Publications, 2002. pp. 205. cat. no. 292
  • Stocker. M. Royalist and Realist. The Life and Work of Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm. New York and London. 1988. pp. 101-2, 408. no. 173.
Collection
Accession number
1804:1-1892

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Record createdDecember 1, 2008
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