Unidentified saint
Statuette
ca. 1505 (made)
ca. 1505 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This figure relates to the tomb of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York in the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey, carried out by the Florentine sculptor, Pietro Torrigiano. It is a slightly reduced replica of one of the bronze figures on the grate around the tomb. The tomb comprises of gilt bronze effigies surrounded by a grille. Only six out of original thirty-two figures remain on the grate, and these six have been in place since the inventory of the early eighteenth century. The pendant figure to this statuette that of St John the Evangelist (inv.no. A.76-1949), was considered to be so closely related to the grate figures that it was thought to have been a cast taken from one of the missing statuettes.
The dating for this figure and its pendant is one that has aroused much debate since acquisition in 1949. The debate concerning the dating of these terracottas is noted in departmental records. The earlier date of around 1505 was suggested by the fact that the production of cast figures of saints, such as this and the pendant figure would have been unlikely after the Reformation. The figure is a 'squeeze' or cast in terracotta. A 'squeeze' is a type of cast usually made in stucco, or terracotta taken from another object. The process was common in Italy during the 15th and early 16th centuries as it provided an economic means of manufacturing versions of popular compositions. The taking of squeezes and casts in terracotta was known in London around the start of the sixteenth century. Thermo-luminescence testing (a scientific means of determining the age of a ceramic object by establishing when it was fired) carried out in 1987 suggested that the two statuettes were fired in the early to mid eighteenth century and therefore not contemporary with the original bronze figures surrounding the tomb. However, despite this result, for stylistic and religious reasons and those outlined above, a date of around 1505, contemporary with the grate itself, has been given.
The dating for this figure and its pendant is one that has aroused much debate since acquisition in 1949. The debate concerning the dating of these terracottas is noted in departmental records. The earlier date of around 1505 was suggested by the fact that the production of cast figures of saints, such as this and the pendant figure would have been unlikely after the Reformation. The figure is a 'squeeze' or cast in terracotta. A 'squeeze' is a type of cast usually made in stucco, or terracotta taken from another object. The process was common in Italy during the 15th and early 16th centuries as it provided an economic means of manufacturing versions of popular compositions. The taking of squeezes and casts in terracotta was known in London around the start of the sixteenth century. Thermo-luminescence testing (a scientific means of determining the age of a ceramic object by establishing when it was fired) carried out in 1987 suggested that the two statuettes were fired in the early to mid eighteenth century and therefore not contemporary with the original bronze figures surrounding the tomb. However, despite this result, for stylistic and religious reasons and those outlined above, a date of around 1505, contemporary with the grate itself, has been given.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Unidentified saint (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Fired terracotta |
| Brief description | Statuette, terracotta, unidentified saint, English, ca. 1505 |
| Physical description | Standing figure with long hair and beard, wearing robes, a shoulder cape and a large hat with a device on the front. The saint holds a scroll (?) in his right hand. His left arm with hand missing, is relaxed by his side. The toe of his left shoe shoes beneath his robe. There are traces of brown, grey and red pigmentation. It has an irregular round base. Made of a white coloured terracotta. The figure is a 'squeeze' or cast in terracotta. A 'squeeze' is a type of cast usually made in stucco, or terracotta taken from another relief. The process was common in Italy during the 15th and early 16th centuries as it provided an economic means of manufacturing versions of popular compositions. These were also not unknown at the time in London and examples can be seen at Hampton Court and also the fragments from Suffolk Place, Southwark in the Museum (inv.nos. A.26 to 36-1928) which show both white and red terracotta. The Southwark fragments, of similar date (around 1518-22), were found during excavations on the site of Suffolk Place, the palace of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk (d. 1545), brother-in-law to Henry VIII (see Bilbey with Trusted, British Sculpture 1470 to 2000. A Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2002, pp. 26-30, cat.nos. 33 to 43). |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label |
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| Object history | This figure was purchased together with its pendant of St John the Evangelist (inv.no. A.76-1949) in 1949 from the dealer Montague Marcussen, 98 Crawford Street, London for £30. This may have been cast from one of the missing statuettes of saints from the grate adorning the tomb of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York in the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey. Thermo-luminescence testing on both these figures was carried out in December 1987 by Oxford University. The results suggested that both were fired in the early to mid eighteenth century, and therefore not contemporary with the original bronze figures on the grate around the tomb of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York in Westminster Abbey. The letter from Oxford University notes, 'Fading corrections were carried out and it would seem highly unlikely that these pieces are contemporary with the original bronze castings.' The debate surrounding the dating of these terracottas is noted in departmental records, the earlier date being suggested by the fact that the production of cast figures of saints, such as this and the pendant figure of a St John the Evangelist (inv.no. A.76-1949) would have been unlikely after the Reformation. The taking of squeezes and casts in terracotta was known in London around the start of the sixteenth century. Six figures remain on the grate, and have been in place since the inventory of the early eighteenth century. The pendant figure was considered to be so closely related to the grate figures that it was thought to have been a cast taken from one of the missing twelve statuettes. For these reasons, on stylistic grounds, and despite the thermo-luminescence tests, a date of around 1505, contemporary with the grate itself, has been given. |
| Historical context | The tomb of Henry VII (1457-1509) and his wife Elizabeth of York (1465-1503) in the Lady Chapel of Westminster Abbey is a recorded work of Pietro Torrigiano. The original tomb design submitted by Guido Mazzoni was rejected and Torrigiano was awarded the contract in October 1512. The construction was one of the principal concerns of Henry VII and was outlined in his will (PRO, E 23/3) reproduced with commentary by Margaret Condon, 'The Last Will of Henry VII: Document and Text' in T. Tatton-Brown and R. Mortimer, Westminster Abbey: The Lady Chapel of Henry VII, pp. 99-140 (NAL 603.AD.2065). See also A. Harvey and R. Mortimer, The Funeral Effigies of Westminster Abbey, Woodbridge, 1994 (NAL 90.C.60). |
| Subject depicted | |
| Associations | |
| Summary | This figure relates to the tomb of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York in the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey, carried out by the Florentine sculptor, Pietro Torrigiano. It is a slightly reduced replica of one of the bronze figures on the grate around the tomb. The tomb comprises of gilt bronze effigies surrounded by a grille. Only six out of original thirty-two figures remain on the grate, and these six have been in place since the inventory of the early eighteenth century. The pendant figure to this statuette that of St John the Evangelist (inv.no. A.76-1949), was considered to be so closely related to the grate figures that it was thought to have been a cast taken from one of the missing statuettes. The dating for this figure and its pendant is one that has aroused much debate since acquisition in 1949. The debate concerning the dating of these terracottas is noted in departmental records. The earlier date of around 1505 was suggested by the fact that the production of cast figures of saints, such as this and the pendant figure would have been unlikely after the Reformation. The figure is a 'squeeze' or cast in terracotta. A 'squeeze' is a type of cast usually made in stucco, or terracotta taken from another object. The process was common in Italy during the 15th and early 16th centuries as it provided an economic means of manufacturing versions of popular compositions. The taking of squeezes and casts in terracotta was known in London around the start of the sixteenth century. Thermo-luminescence testing (a scientific means of determining the age of a ceramic object by establishing when it was fired) carried out in 1987 suggested that the two statuettes were fired in the early to mid eighteenth century and therefore not contemporary with the original bronze figures surrounding the tomb. However, despite this result, for stylistic and religious reasons and those outlined above, a date of around 1505, contemporary with the grate itself, has been given. |
| Associated object | A.76-1949 (Ensemble) |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.77-1949 |
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| Record created | March 22, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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