Grotesque Animal thumbnail 1
Grotesque Animal thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Sculpture, Room 117

Grotesque Animal

Lamp
ca. 1620 (model), ca. 1650-1700 (Cast)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This bronze is made in the Netherlands in the first half of the 17th century in the style of Arent van Bolten of Zwolle (ca. 1573-1624/26)
This grotesque bird is in the form of a shell-backed monster with bird's legs. The lamp is located in the creature's open mouth. It is mounted on an oblong marble base.
Arent van Bolten was a silversmith and sculptor, but got especially well known for his drawings. His most frequent subjects were grotesque figures and monsters, biblical and mythological scenes and scenes from peasant life.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleGrotesque Animal
Materials and techniques
Bronze
Brief description
Lamp, Grotesque Animal, bronze, after Arent or Arnold van Bolten (c.1573-before 1633), model Amsterdam or Zwolle ca. 1620, cast possibly France ca. 1650-1700
Physical description
This grotesque bird is made in the form of a shell-backed monster with bird's legs. The lamp is in the creature's open mouth. On an oblong marble base.
Dimensions
  • Object width: 16cm
  • Object depth: 9.5cm
  • Object height: 18cm
  • Base width: 13.2cm
  • Base depth: 9.4cm
Dimensions were taken by SCP on 27.10.14 for Bronze Zoo: A Sculptural Menagerie
Credit line
Given by Dr W.L. Hildburgh
Object history
Given by Dr. W. L. Hildburgh, F. S. A., 1952.

Historical significance: Several other examples have turned up.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This bronze is made in the Netherlands in the first half of the 17th century in the style of Arent van Bolten of Zwolle (ca. 1573-1624/26)
This grotesque bird is in the form of a shell-backed monster with bird's legs. The lamp is located in the creature's open mouth. It is mounted on an oblong marble base.
Arent van Bolten was a silversmith and sculptor, but got especially well known for his drawings. His most frequent subjects were grotesque figures and monsters, biblical and mythological scenes and scenes from peasant life.
Bibliographic references
  • Leeuwenberg, Jaap, 'The Grotesques ascribed to Arent van Bolten', in: Apollo, April 1966, pp. 272-277
  • Dawn of the Golden Age. Northern Netherlandish Art 1580-1620, exhibition catalogue, Rijksmuseum, pp. 410-411, cat. 67
  • Binnebeke, Emile von. Bronze Sculpture: Sculpture from 1500-1800 in the Collection of the Boymans-van-Beuningen Museum, Rotterdam, 1994, pp. 154, 5, cat. no. 48
Collection
Accession number
M.49-1952

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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