Not currently on display at the V&A

The Fury of Athamas

Statuette
ca. 1610 - ca. 1620 (made)
Artist/Maker
Vismara, Gaspare (sculptor)
Place of origin
Milan (made)

This is a group in white marble made by the sculptor Gaspare Vismara, in Milan in ca. 1610-1620. Although apparently of a religious subject, the relatively small size of this group suggests that it was made for display in the interior of a palazzo. The subject is used to show the sculptor's virtuosity in handling a complex figure-composition.
Vismara was an Italian sculptor. He was one of many sculptors engaged in decorating the Milan Cathedral. He started there from around 1610, in 1631 he became protostatuario of the Cathedral retaining this post untill his death.


Object details

Categories
Myths & Legends
Sculpture
Object type
Statuette
Titles
  • The Fury of Athamas (generic title)
  • The Massacre of the Innocents (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Marble
Marble
Brief description
Group, marble, the Fury of Athamas, by Gaspare Vismara, Italy (Milan), ca. 1610-1620
Physical description
Athamas, a bearded male nude, wearing a loin-cloth and sword, is hsown holding two naked children, one in the right hand above his head, the other in the left hand behind his back. Ino kneels at his feet with mouth open in an expression of distress, a child bound in swaddling clothes in her left arm. Signed.
Dimensions
  • Height: 88.9cm
Object history
Given by Dr. W. L. Hildburgh, F. S. A.
Historical context
Although apparently of a religious subject, the relatively small size of this group suggests that it was made for display in the interior of a palazzo. The subject is used to show the sculptor's virtuosity in handling a complex figure-composition.
Subjects depicted
Children
Nude Male
Sword
Summary
This is a group in white marble made by the sculptor Gaspare Vismara, in Milan in ca. 1610-1620. Although apparently of a religious subject, the relatively small size of this group suggests that it was made for display in the interior of a palazzo. The subject is used to show the sculptor's virtuosity in handling a complex figure-composition.
Vismara was an Italian sculptor. He was one of many sculptors engaged in decorating the Milan Cathedral. He started there from around 1610, in 1631 he became protostatuario of the Cathedral retaining this post untill his death.
Bibliographic references
  • Pope-Hennessy, John. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Volume II: Text. Sixteenth to Twentieth Century. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1964, p. 640
  • Raggio, Olga. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Art Bulletin. Vol. L, 1968, p. 105
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.64-1949

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O313075/the-fury-of-athamas-statuette-vismara-gaspare/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest