Not currently on display at the V&A

The Dancing Faun

Statuette
ca. 1750 - ca. 1800 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is an ivory statuette made in ca. 1750-1800, probably in Italy (Florence). It represents a dancing Faun, depicted as a nude man, his right leg raised and resting on a clapper, his head bent downward and in his left hand a cymbal.
It is a reduced version of the antique statuette in the Uffici in Florence. It was probably made during the second half of the eighteenth century appealing to the Grand Tourists visiting Florence.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Dancing Faun (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Ivory carved
Brief description
Statuette, ivory, the Dancing Faun, probably Italian (Florence), ca. 1750-1800
Physical description
Figure of a cymbal player, right hand missing. He is shown nude, his right leg raised and resting on a clapper (scabellum), his head bent downwards, in his left hand a cymbal, his right arm raised.
Dimensions
  • Whole height: 22.8cm
  • Ivory alone height: 21.2cm
Object history
Bought for £50 from R. Green Esq., London in 1874.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This is an ivory statuette made in ca. 1750-1800, probably in Italy (Florence). It represents a dancing Faun, depicted as a nude man, his right leg raised and resting on a clapper, his head bent downward and in his left hand a cymbal.
It is a reduced version of the antique statuette in the Uffici in Florence. It was probably made during the second half of the eighteenth century appealing to the Grand Tourists visiting Florence.
Bibliographic references
  • List of Objects in the Art Division, South Kensington, Acquired During the Year 1874, Arranged According to the Dates of Acquisition. London : Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., p. 41
  • Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory. London: Published under the Authority of the Board of Education, 1927-1929, Part I, p. 106
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, cat. no. 305, p. 310
Collection
Accession number
579-1874

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 Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis.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 createdSeptember 26, 2008
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest