The Athena / Minerva of the Parthenon thumbnail 1
Not on display

The Athena / Minerva of the Parthenon

Relief
1847 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is one wax of a group of twenty-nine wax sculptures bequeathed to the Museum by Edward (Teddy) Pyke. Mr. Pyke had devoted most of his life to the study of waxes, and was the recognised authority in the field. His 'Biographical Dictionary of Wax Modellers', published in 1973, has become the standard reference book for students of the subject. Mr Pyke's own collection was wide-ranging, and included British, German, French and Italian portraits and figure subjects from the sixteenth century up to the present day. His generous bequest augmented and complemented the then existing holdings of waxes in the Museum, many of which are on display nearby in Room 63. The Fitzwilliam Museum also received waxes from Mr. Pyke's bequest.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Athena / Minerva of the Parthenon (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Modelled wax in glazed wood frame
Brief description
Relief, wax, of the goddess Athena/Minerva, by Richard Cockle Lucas, England, 1847
Physical description
A dark yellow wax relief showing the goddess Athena (Minerva) in profile, facing to the right, with an elaborate plumed helmet decorated with winged horses. The relief is in a plain glazed frame.
Dimensions
  • Including frame height: 19.3cm
  • Including frame width: 16.7cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'The Minerva of the Parthenon restored from the description of Pausanias, and the Vienna gem. 1847' (label on the reverse)
  • 'R. C. Lucas' (label on the reverse)
  • 'Model for the ivory carving now in the South Kensington Museum' (label on the reverse)
  • sale notice from Christie Manson and Woods dated 20.12.1909 (label on the reverse)
Credit line
Bequeathed by E. J. Pyke in 1996
Object history
Bequeathed by E. J. Pyke in 1996, c/o Bird and Bird Solicitors, London. Acquired by the donor's father at the sale of Richard Cockle Luca's works owned by his son Albert Dürer Lucas at Christie Manson and Woods in 1909, lot 39.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This is one wax of a group of twenty-nine wax sculptures bequeathed to the Museum by Edward (Teddy) Pyke. Mr. Pyke had devoted most of his life to the study of waxes, and was the recognised authority in the field. His 'Biographical Dictionary of Wax Modellers', published in 1973, has become the standard reference book for students of the subject. Mr Pyke's own collection was wide-ranging, and included British, German, French and Italian portraits and figure subjects from the sixteenth century up to the present day. His generous bequest augmented and complemented the then existing holdings of waxes in the Museum, many of which are on display nearby in Room 63. The Fitzwilliam Museum also received waxes from Mr. Pyke's bequest.
Associated object
184-1865 (Version)
Bibliographic references
  • Pyke, E.J. A Biographical Dictionary of Wax Modellers. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1973. p.82.
  • Trusted, Marjorie. The Pyke Bequest of Waxes at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Apollo. Jan. 1997, vol. CXLV, no. 419, pp. 41-45, fig. 7.
Collection
Accession number
A.10-1996

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Record createdMarch 29, 2000
Record URL
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