Bust thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 139, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Bust

1858-1885 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Angelo Minghetti started producing ceramics at Imola in 1848. He started his first furnace in Bologna in 1858 and he built another at Malvasia in 1864. From 1877 all works were concentrated in Bologna. His works were much raised at the time and often mistaken for 'antique' (Renaissance) maiolica.
Minghetti too inspiration from his 'heroes' of the Renaissance period, most notably the sculptor Lucca della Robbia, who was famous for his large-scale works in polychrome earthenware.
Since 1869, Minghetti participated in National and International exhibitions. (Bologna 1869; London 1870; Vienna 1873; Naples 1877; Paris 1878; Milan 1883; Turin 1884) In Vienna he showed a huge vase, measuring 2.3 metres.
Minghetti died in 1885.


Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Bust
  • Stand
Materials and techniques
TIn-glazed earthenware, painted in colours
Brief description
Bust of The Emperor Caligula, in enamelled terracotta, probably by Angelo Minghetti (1821/30 - 1885), after 1849.

For a bust of The Emperor Caligula, in enamelled terracotta, probably by Angelo Minghetti (1821/30 - 1885), after 1849.
Bust of The Emperor Caligula, in enamelled terracotta, probably by Angelo Minghetti (1821/30 - 1885), after 1849.

For a bust of The Emperor Caligula, in enamelled terracotta, probably by Angelo Minghetti (1821/30 - 1885), after 1849.
Physical description
Large bust of Emperor Caligula, on separate pedestal. Tin-glazed earthenware, painted in colours.
Dimensions
  • Bust height: 80cm
  • Plinth height: 18cm
  • Depth: 52.5cm
  • Width: 70cm
Marks and inscriptions
'CALIGULA', painted in black on the pedestal
Object history
Four busts were acquired in 1885, one of these, emperor Nero, was transferred to the Dublin Museum
Production
A note in the old Register, dated 5th December 1892, states that according to information from Cavaliere Cantagalli of Florence, the busts were made by Minghetti of Bologna. According to Barberini's monograph, Minghetti's products included monumental busts.
Subject depicted
Summary
Angelo Minghetti started producing ceramics at Imola in 1848. He started his first furnace in Bologna in 1858 and he built another at Malvasia in 1864. From 1877 all works were concentrated in Bologna. His works were much raised at the time and often mistaken for 'antique' (Renaissance) maiolica.
Minghetti too inspiration from his 'heroes' of the Renaissance period, most notably the sculptor Lucca della Robbia, who was famous for his large-scale works in polychrome earthenware.
Since 1869, Minghetti participated in National and International exhibitions. (Bologna 1869; London 1870; Vienna 1873; Naples 1877; Paris 1878; Milan 1883; Turin 1884) In Vienna he showed a huge vase, measuring 2.3 metres.
Minghetti died in 1885.
Bibliographic references
  • See object information file in Ceramics and Glass Dept office
  • Barberini, N, Ceramiche Artistiche Minghetti, Bologna. NAL ND 95.0652
Collection
Accession number
170-1885

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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