Eve thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Eve

Statue
1850 (made)
Artist/Maker
Macdowell, Patrick (sculptor)
Place of origin
England (made)

This statue is made by Patrick MacDowell in London in 1850. Eve stands with her hand resting on her head. She is supported by a tree trunk, around which a serpent is twined.

Patrick MacDowell (1799-1870) was an Irish, Belfast born, sculptor, who was initially apprenticed to a London coachbuilder. Later he trained under the sculptor Peter Francis Chenu. He attended the Royal Academy Schools, but already after two years he had a well merited and established reputation as a sculptor. His most important work is probably the memorial to Frederick Richard Chichester, Earl of Belfast (d. 1853) in Belfast Castle, but he is best known for his group depicting Europe for the Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens.


Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Religion
Christianity
Myths & Legends
Object type
Statue
TitleEve (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Marble on granite pedestal
Marble
Brief description
Statue, marble, of Eve, by Patrick MacDowell, English, 1850
Physical description
Standing statue of Eve, hand resting on head. Curly hair falling onto her left shoulder. With her left hand she supports herself against a tree-trunk, around which a serpent is twined. Signed and dated.
Dimensions
  • Weight: 118kg
  • Figure height: 121.5cm
  • Pedestal height: 84cm
Marks and inscriptions
'P.MAC DOWELL R.A. SCULP. LONDON/1850' (on the side of base beneath the tree trunk)
Object history
Bequeathed by Mrs Dorothy De la Fosse in 1885.
Subjects depicted
Tree Trunk
Serpent
Eve
Summary
This statue is made by Patrick MacDowell in London in 1850. Eve stands with her hand resting on her head. She is supported by a tree trunk, around which a serpent is twined.

Patrick MacDowell (1799-1870) was an Irish, Belfast born, sculptor, who was initially apprenticed to a London coachbuilder. Later he trained under the sculptor Peter Francis Chenu. He attended the Royal Academy Schools, but already after two years he had a well merited and established reputation as a sculptor. His most important work is probably the memorial to Frederick Richard Chichester, Earl of Belfast (d. 1853) in Belfast Castle, but he is best known for his group depicting Europe for the Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens.
Bibliographic references
  • List of Objects in the Art Division, South Kensington Museum acquired during the Year 1886. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1887. pp.6
  • Art Journal. June 1849. pp. 176
  • Art Journal. June 1865. pp. 172
  • The Athenaeum. 26th May 1849. pp. 549-50
  • The Athenaeum. 27th May 1865. pp. 723
  • Read, B. Victorian Sculpture. New Haven. 1982. pp. 13
  • Murphy, P. 'British Sculpture at the Early Universal Exhibitions. Ireland Sustaining Britain'. The Sculpture Journal. III. 1999. p. 71 and fig. 4
  • Bilbey, Diane with Trusted, Marjorie. British Sculpture 1470 to 2000. A Concise Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. London. 2002. pp. 331-2
  • Building News. 17 July 1857
  • List of the Bequests and Donations to the South Kensington Museum, now called the Victoria and Albert Museum, completed to 31st December 1900. London. 1901. pp. 30
  • Graves, A. The Royal Academy of Arts. A Complete Dictionary of Contributions and their work from its foundation in 1769 to 1904. V. East Earsdley. 1905-6. pp. 137. no. 937
  • Strickland. W.G. A Dictionary of Irish Artists. 1913. II. pp. 63
  • Gunnis, R. Dictionary of British Sculpture 1660-1851. London. 1968. pp. 250
  • Thieme, U and Becker, F. Allgemeines Lexikon der Bildenden Kunstler.31. Leipzig. 1907/8. p.p 175
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
29-1886

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 20, 2002
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O66223/eve-statue-macdowell-patrick/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest