Behind the Rider sits dark care
Roundel
1899 (made)
1899 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
In his evocation of ancient chivalry and fears of mortality, Gilbert drew on Dürer's engravings and other Renaissance memento mori imagery. He often experimented with materials and surfaces. This work is an alloy that was similar to bronze but acquired a red patination pickling solutions were applied after casting.
The piece is called 'Post Equitem Sedet Atra Cura' (Behind the Rider sits Dark Care), and was made in 1899.
Sir Alfred Gilbert (1854-1934) was a famous British sculptor of the late 19th century. He was also medallist, goldsmith and draughtsman. He was known for his inventiveness and characteristically used many different materials in the same work. He epitomised the movement known as the “New Sculpture”, with a new focus on naturalistic forms. His many commissions included for example the celebrated figure of Eros, part of the Shaftsbury memorial.
The piece is called 'Post Equitem Sedet Atra Cura' (Behind the Rider sits Dark Care), and was made in 1899.
Sir Alfred Gilbert (1854-1934) was a famous British sculptor of the late 19th century. He was also medallist, goldsmith and draughtsman. He was known for his inventiveness and characteristically used many different materials in the same work. He epitomised the movement known as the “New Sculpture”, with a new focus on naturalistic forms. His many commissions included for example the celebrated figure of Eros, part of the Shaftsbury memorial.
Object details
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| Object type | |
| Titles |
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| Materials and techniques | Bronze, cast |
| Brief description | Roundel, relief, bronze, 'Post Equitem Sedet Atra Cura' (Behind the Rider sits Dark Care), by Alfred Gilbert, England, 1899 |
| Physical description | Bronze relief. A knight and shrouded winged figure (Care) are seated on a rearing horse. Ahead of them is a semi-nude female figure holding a bag of gold aloft in her right hand; above is a hooded winged figure holding a flaming torch . Beneath the horse's rear hooves are an owl and a skull. A label fixed to the reverse is inscribed in ink. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'July 1966/ from David Peel/ Mount St Lon/ £300' (on a label fixed to the reverse inscribed in ink) |
| Gallery label |
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| Object history | Previously owned by Robert Dunthorne (Rembrandt Gallery, Vigo Street, London), who had purchased the roundel from the sculptor in May 1899. David Peel, Mount Street, London; Handley-Read Collection (probably purchased from David Peel in 1966 for £300). Purchased from Thomas Stainton, Madeley Penn Road, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire in 1972 for £605. |
| Historical context | The polychromy of the piece was achieved by casting the medallion in an alloy of lead, copper and gold: a red patination being obtained by the application of various pickling solutions. The title of the piece is from Horace, but the composition of the piece is derived from a number of Renaissance sources, notably Durer's Knight, Death and the Devil, Donatello's Gattamelata and Verrocchio's Colleoni Monument. The original model dates from shortly after Gilbert's visit to Venice in 1883, but this bronze, along with another version in the Royal Scottish Academy, was cast in March 1899, perhaps commissioned by Robert Dunthorne. |
| Production | Post Equitem sedet atra cura (Behind the rider sits dark care) by Alfred Gilbert, bronze, Britain, 1899. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | In his evocation of ancient chivalry and fears of mortality, Gilbert drew on Dürer's engravings and other Renaissance memento mori imagery. He often experimented with materials and surfaces. This work is an alloy that was similar to bronze but acquired a red patination pickling solutions were applied after casting. The piece is called 'Post Equitem Sedet Atra Cura' (Behind the Rider sits Dark Care), and was made in 1899. Sir Alfred Gilbert (1854-1934) was a famous British sculptor of the late 19th century. He was also medallist, goldsmith and draughtsman. He was known for his inventiveness and characteristically used many different materials in the same work. He epitomised the movement known as the “New Sculpture”, with a new focus on naturalistic forms. His many commissions included for example the celebrated figure of Eros, part of the Shaftsbury memorial. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.7-1972 |
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| Record created | November 8, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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