Mosaic
ca. 1871 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This mosaic representing Andrea Mantegna is part of a cycle of monumental mosaic portraits depicting famous artists. The series of originally 35 mosaics was created between 1864 and circa 1875 for the South Court of the South Kensington Museum, the later V&A. The mosaics were originally installed on the side walls as part of a decorative scheme celebrating the arts. It is made after a painting by Frederick Richard Pickersgill R.A.
Andrea Mantegna (1430/31-1506) was an Italian painter and printmaker. A passion for the antique is evident in all his work, and he was one of the first artists to collect Greek and Roman works. He was a rigorous draughtsman and anatomist. Mantegna was appointed court painter to the Gonzaga, and was employed by three generations of the family. As well as large-scale paintings, he also produced banners, tableware and decorations. For the Gonzaga he painted his famous frescoes in the Camera degli Sposi of the Gonzaga palace, Mantua. His illusion of a dome opening to the sky was widely imitated in the Baroque period. Among his late works are nine large canvases of the Triumph of Caesar (1486-94; Hampton Court). Mantegna's religious scenes and classical compositions were engraved, allowing his work to become known throughout Europe. In this portrait Mantegna holds a fragmentary classical relief sculpture, a reference to his abiding interest in antiquity.
A specialist in historical genre painting, Frederick Richard Pickersgill (1820-1900) entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1839. He exhibited 50 works at the RA between 1839 and 1875. His subjects were mythological, biblical and literary. He won prizes in the Westminster Hall competitions 1843 and 1847. He was elected ARA in 1847 (at a young age), becoming a full Academician in 1850. He became Keeper of the Royal Academy Schools in 1873, a post he held until 1887. In 1869 Pickersgill was commissioned to produce a large overdoor painting for the National Competition Gallery in the South Kensington Museum, showing the distribution of art prizes (Valentine Prinsep was commissioned to paint its pair). Two years later he was commissioned to design a lunette fresco for the Museum on the subject of The Industrial Arts in the Time of Peace. He painted a large oil painting (127-1885) and a full-scale crayon design (128-1885) for the lunette, but in the end a design by Leighton was preferred and Pickersgill's fresco was never executed.
The series of mostly idealised portraits against gold backgrounds soon became known by the public as the Kensington Valhalla. The term alludes to the Vallhall as eternal home of heroes in Norse mythology. It also refers to the concept of a reunion of outstanding personalities of different periods by the means of art. An earlier example of such a hall of fame is the Walhalla near Regensburg in Germany (opened in 1842).
The selection of the Kensington Valhalla includes many famous artists, from Phidias and Apelles as representatives of ancient Greece to contemporaries such as the Irish painter William Mulready who had died only five years before his mosaic was completed.
Mosaics played an important part in the canon of materials and techniques used for the interior decoration of the new South Kensington Museum. The ambitious project of a revival of the art of mosaics involved one of the major Venetian mosaic companies of the time, Salviati & Co. It also led to the innovation of the technique by the introduction of vitrified ceramics mosaics made by Minton, Hollins & Co. These ceramics mosaics were created following the cartoons of professional artists by female students, including members of the family of Henry Cole.
The Kensington Valhalla remained in place until 1949. Some of the mosaics are now on display in other galleries of the museum. In addition to the mosaics themselves, preparatory sketches and cartoons by established contemporary artists such as Edward Poynter or Lord Leighton are part of the V&A collection.
Andrea Mantegna (1430/31-1506) was an Italian painter and printmaker. A passion for the antique is evident in all his work, and he was one of the first artists to collect Greek and Roman works. He was a rigorous draughtsman and anatomist. Mantegna was appointed court painter to the Gonzaga, and was employed by three generations of the family. As well as large-scale paintings, he also produced banners, tableware and decorations. For the Gonzaga he painted his famous frescoes in the Camera degli Sposi of the Gonzaga palace, Mantua. His illusion of a dome opening to the sky was widely imitated in the Baroque period. Among his late works are nine large canvases of the Triumph of Caesar (1486-94; Hampton Court). Mantegna's religious scenes and classical compositions were engraved, allowing his work to become known throughout Europe. In this portrait Mantegna holds a fragmentary classical relief sculpture, a reference to his abiding interest in antiquity.
A specialist in historical genre painting, Frederick Richard Pickersgill (1820-1900) entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1839. He exhibited 50 works at the RA between 1839 and 1875. His subjects were mythological, biblical and literary. He won prizes in the Westminster Hall competitions 1843 and 1847. He was elected ARA in 1847 (at a young age), becoming a full Academician in 1850. He became Keeper of the Royal Academy Schools in 1873, a post he held until 1887. In 1869 Pickersgill was commissioned to produce a large overdoor painting for the National Competition Gallery in the South Kensington Museum, showing the distribution of art prizes (Valentine Prinsep was commissioned to paint its pair). Two years later he was commissioned to design a lunette fresco for the Museum on the subject of The Industrial Arts in the Time of Peace. He painted a large oil painting (127-1885) and a full-scale crayon design (128-1885) for the lunette, but in the end a design by Leighton was preferred and Pickersgill's fresco was never executed.
The series of mostly idealised portraits against gold backgrounds soon became known by the public as the Kensington Valhalla. The term alludes to the Vallhall as eternal home of heroes in Norse mythology. It also refers to the concept of a reunion of outstanding personalities of different periods by the means of art. An earlier example of such a hall of fame is the Walhalla near Regensburg in Germany (opened in 1842).
The selection of the Kensington Valhalla includes many famous artists, from Phidias and Apelles as representatives of ancient Greece to contemporaries such as the Irish painter William Mulready who had died only five years before his mosaic was completed.
Mosaics played an important part in the canon of materials and techniques used for the interior decoration of the new South Kensington Museum. The ambitious project of a revival of the art of mosaics involved one of the major Venetian mosaic companies of the time, Salviati & Co. It also led to the innovation of the technique by the introduction of vitrified ceramics mosaics made by Minton, Hollins & Co. These ceramics mosaics were created following the cartoons of professional artists by female students, including members of the family of Henry Cole.
The Kensington Valhalla remained in place until 1949. Some of the mosaics are now on display in other galleries of the museum. In addition to the mosaics themselves, preparatory sketches and cartoons by established contemporary artists such as Edward Poynter or Lord Leighton are part of the V&A collection.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Mosaic |
| Brief description | Mosaic panel, ceramic mosaic, depicting Andrea Mantegna, by Florence H. Cole and Mary J. Jennings after a painting by Frederick Richard Pickersgill R.A., Britain, about 1871 |
| Physical description | Vertical oblong ceramics mosaic with curved top depicting idealised full-length portrait of Andrea Mantegna (ca. 1431-1506) with black-green gown and red cap, holding the fragment of a stone relief, standing on voluted plinth in front of a golden background |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | 'A. MANTEGNA.' (on plinth) |
| Object history | This mosaic was created for the decoration of the South Court of the Museum. It is part of a cycle of mosaic portraits of famous artists. They were created between 1863 and ca. 1875 and installed in blind arcades on the upper level of the South Court. Historical significance: Only few extensive mosaic cycles were executed in the 19th century. Apart from the South Kensington Valhalla the mosaics of the Albert Memorial, Albert Memorial Chapel at Windsor, and at Saint Paul's Cathedral, all begun in 1864, were the only other comparable projects of the time. All of them were made by Salviati & Co. The mosaics of the South Kensington Valhalla are based upon designs of a variety of artists, some of whom were, or were to become, major figures of the Victorian art world. The commission is extremely well documented. The related documents and cartoons at the V&A make this cycle of mosaics not only an outstanding group of artistic value, but are also an excellent case study for the history of the buildings of the Museum. |
| Historical context | The Museum played an important part in the revival of mosaic in Britain in the 19th century. The technique goes back to ancient times and was always regarded as one of the most precious and long-lasting techniques for adorning walls and floors. The enormous costs of mosaics limited its success in the 19th century. The early mosaics for the South Court were made using the traditional material glass. They were created by the Venetian company Salviati & Co., the most successful mosaic makers of the time who had branches in London and New York. The majority of the mosaics consist of vitrified ceramics which were provided by the English company Minton, Hollins & Co. The Mosaics were made by the Mosaic Class of the Art School of the South Kensington Museum and were supervised by a representative of Minton. Amongst the students were family members of Henry Cole. A second, less ambitious series of mosaics was created for the north cloister between 1868 and 1874. In 1878 a ceramic mosaic memorial for Sir Henry Cole, designed by Frank Moody was installed on the first landing of the Ceramic Staircase and is still in place today. The use of mosaic at the museum also included marble mosaic floors, some of them laid by 'Female Convicts' of Woking Prison from 1869 and was dubbed Opus Criminale by contemporaries. |
| Production | Made by Florence H. Cole and Mary J. Jennings, superintended by Samuel Cooper for Minton, Hollins & Co. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This mosaic representing Andrea Mantegna is part of a cycle of monumental mosaic portraits depicting famous artists. The series of originally 35 mosaics was created between 1864 and circa 1875 for the South Court of the South Kensington Museum, the later V&A. The mosaics were originally installed on the side walls as part of a decorative scheme celebrating the arts. It is made after a painting by Frederick Richard Pickersgill R.A. Andrea Mantegna (1430/31-1506) was an Italian painter and printmaker. A passion for the antique is evident in all his work, and he was one of the first artists to collect Greek and Roman works. He was a rigorous draughtsman and anatomist. Mantegna was appointed court painter to the Gonzaga, and was employed by three generations of the family. As well as large-scale paintings, he also produced banners, tableware and decorations. For the Gonzaga he painted his famous frescoes in the Camera degli Sposi of the Gonzaga palace, Mantua. His illusion of a dome opening to the sky was widely imitated in the Baroque period. Among his late works are nine large canvases of the Triumph of Caesar (1486-94; Hampton Court). Mantegna's religious scenes and classical compositions were engraved, allowing his work to become known throughout Europe. In this portrait Mantegna holds a fragmentary classical relief sculpture, a reference to his abiding interest in antiquity. A specialist in historical genre painting, Frederick Richard Pickersgill (1820-1900) entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1839. He exhibited 50 works at the RA between 1839 and 1875. His subjects were mythological, biblical and literary. He won prizes in the Westminster Hall competitions 1843 and 1847. He was elected ARA in 1847 (at a young age), becoming a full Academician in 1850. He became Keeper of the Royal Academy Schools in 1873, a post he held until 1887. In 1869 Pickersgill was commissioned to produce a large overdoor painting for the National Competition Gallery in the South Kensington Museum, showing the distribution of art prizes (Valentine Prinsep was commissioned to paint its pair). Two years later he was commissioned to design a lunette fresco for the Museum on the subject of The Industrial Arts in the Time of Peace. He painted a large oil painting (127-1885) and a full-scale crayon design (128-1885) for the lunette, but in the end a design by Leighton was preferred and Pickersgill's fresco was never executed. The series of mostly idealised portraits against gold backgrounds soon became known by the public as the Kensington Valhalla. The term alludes to the Vallhall as eternal home of heroes in Norse mythology. It also refers to the concept of a reunion of outstanding personalities of different periods by the means of art. An earlier example of such a hall of fame is the Walhalla near Regensburg in Germany (opened in 1842). The selection of the Kensington Valhalla includes many famous artists, from Phidias and Apelles as representatives of ancient Greece to contemporaries such as the Irish painter William Mulready who had died only five years before his mosaic was completed. Mosaics played an important part in the canon of materials and techniques used for the interior decoration of the new South Kensington Museum. The ambitious project of a revival of the art of mosaics involved one of the major Venetian mosaic companies of the time, Salviati & Co. It also led to the innovation of the technique by the introduction of vitrified ceramics mosaics made by Minton, Hollins & Co. These ceramics mosaics were created following the cartoons of professional artists by female students, including members of the family of Henry Cole. The Kensington Valhalla remained in place until 1949. Some of the mosaics are now on display in other galleries of the museum. In addition to the mosaics themselves, preparatory sketches and cartoons by established contemporary artists such as Edward Poynter or Lord Leighton are part of the V&A collection. |
| Associated objects | |
| Bibliographic reference | Physick, John. The Victoria and Albert Museum. The history of its building. London: The Victoria & Albert Museum 1982. Pp. 62-67, no. 14. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.30-2009 |
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| Record created | October 8, 2009 |
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