Venetian Boy Catching a Crab
Group
ca. 1892-1893 (made)
ca. 1892-1893 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This bronze sculpture representing a Venetian boy catching a crab was made by the sculptor Henrietta Skerrett Montalba, in ca. 1892-93, before her early death in Venice in 1893. The crab appears to have been cast from life. According to the obituary of the sculptor in the Art Journal, the figure depicts a Venetian fisher-boy.
Henrietta Montalba (1848-1893) was the youngest of four artist-sisters. She followed many art forms but was most successful in sculpture, which she studied at South Kensington. The Montalba family moved to Italy, where she continued studying at the Scuola delle Belle Arti in Venice. When still in London she worked under Jules Dalou, when he himself was residing in London. The larger proportion of her work were portrait busts which she mainly executed in terracotta.
Henrietta Montalba (1848-1893) was the youngest of four artist-sisters. She followed many art forms but was most successful in sculpture, which she studied at South Kensington. The Montalba family moved to Italy, where she continued studying at the Scuola delle Belle Arti in Venice. When still in London she worked under Jules Dalou, when he himself was residing in London. The larger proportion of her work were portrait busts which she mainly executed in terracotta.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Title | Venetian Boy Catching a Crab (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Bronze |
| Brief description | Group, ' Venetian Boy Catching a Crab', bronze, Henrietta Skerrett Montalba (1848-1893), English, made in Venice, ca. 1892-3 |
| Physical description | A naked boy is lying on a formation of rocks supporting himself with his left arm and with the right arm is catching a crab. Signed. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'Henrietta.S.Montalba' (in the rocks beneath the left leg of the figure) |
| Gallery label |
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| Object history | On loan to the Bethnal Green Museum from Miss Clara Montalba, from 16 October 1905. Clara Montalba was the sculptor's sister, and a painter in her own right. She appears to have been the last surviving member of the Montalba family: attempts to locate any heirs in 1968 and 1976 were unsuccessful. Transferred from Bethnal Green Museum to the Department of Architecture and Sculpture, later Sculpture Department, in 1978. As a redundant loan the present piece was formally accessioned by the Sculpture Department in 2000. This bronze was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1893, and later in the same year at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This bronze sculpture representing a Venetian boy catching a crab was made by the sculptor Henrietta Skerrett Montalba, in ca. 1892-93, before her early death in Venice in 1893. The crab appears to have been cast from life. According to the obituary of the sculptor in the Art Journal, the figure depicts a Venetian fisher-boy. Henrietta Montalba (1848-1893) was the youngest of four artist-sisters. She followed many art forms but was most successful in sculpture, which she studied at South Kensington. The Montalba family moved to Italy, where she continued studying at the Scuola delle Belle Arti in Venice. When still in London she worked under Jules Dalou, when he himself was residing in London. The larger proportion of her work were portrait busts which she mainly executed in terracotta. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other number | Montalba Loan.1 - Previous loan number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.20:1,2-2000 |
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| Record created | June 13, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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