An Allegory of Charity
Overmantel Frame
1759 (made)
1759 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is the overmantle frame for a model for a marble relief (Allegory of Charity, Mus. no. A.58-1953) donated by Rysbrack to the Foundling Hospital in 1786 and for which many contemporary artists, including Hogarth, made works of art. The Foundling Hospital was established in London by Thomas Coram in 1739 to provide refuge for abandoned children. The subject matter is appropriate-depicting an allegorical figure of Charity carrying a child. Rysbrack was one of a number of artists with close connections with the charity and was elected a Governor and Guardian of the hospital in 1745.
The Foundling Hospital still exists and was renamed the Thomas Coram Foundation for Children in 1954.
Rysbrack (1694-1770) was born in Antwerp, and trained in the Netherlands, but spent his working life in Britain. He was one of the most important sculptors active in this country in the first half of the 18th century, and specialised in portrait busts and funerary monuments. Although he never visited Italy, many of his works are clearly indebted to classical archetypes. His terracotta models are particularly fine, and are often virtually finished pieces in their own right.
The Foundling Hospital still exists and was renamed the Thomas Coram Foundation for Children in 1954.
Rysbrack (1694-1770) was born in Antwerp, and trained in the Netherlands, but spent his working life in Britain. He was one of the most important sculptors active in this country in the first half of the 18th century, and specialised in portrait busts and funerary monuments. Although he never visited Italy, many of his works are clearly indebted to classical archetypes. His terracotta models are particularly fine, and are often virtually finished pieces in their own right.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | An Allegory of Charity (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted wood |
| Brief description | Overmantel frame for the Allegory of Charity, painted wood, anonymous possibly after a design by John Michael Rysbrack, England, ca. 1746 |
| Physical description | The grey painted frame is pedimented, the frieze enriched with a swag of fruit and flowers which terminates in ram's heads at the corners. Similar swags hang down on each side from the ram's heads. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label |
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| Object history | Bought from M. Narcussen, for £35, in 1953. This was the model for the marble relief over a chimneypiece in the Founding Hospital, London, which was founded by Captain Coram in the mid-eighteenth century to care for abandoned orphans, and for which many contemporary artists, including Hogarth, made works of art. The model was bought by Sir Edward Littleton and sent to Teddesley Hall, Staffordshire in 1756. The frame also seems to have been designed by Rysbrack. The museum possesses drawings by Rysbrack for a number of chimneypieces at Teddesley Hall, which was demolished in 1954. |
| Production | John Michael Rysbrack appears to have designed the frame. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This is the overmantle frame for a model for a marble relief (Allegory of Charity, Mus. no. A.58-1953) donated by Rysbrack to the Foundling Hospital in 1786 and for which many contemporary artists, including Hogarth, made works of art. The Foundling Hospital was established in London by Thomas Coram in 1739 to provide refuge for abandoned children. The subject matter is appropriate-depicting an allegorical figure of Charity carrying a child. Rysbrack was one of a number of artists with close connections with the charity and was elected a Governor and Guardian of the hospital in 1745. The Foundling Hospital still exists and was renamed the Thomas Coram Foundation for Children in 1954. Rysbrack (1694-1770) was born in Antwerp, and trained in the Netherlands, but spent his working life in Britain. He was one of the most important sculptors active in this country in the first half of the 18th century, and specialised in portrait busts and funerary monuments. Although he never visited Italy, many of his works are clearly indebted to classical archetypes. His terracotta models are particularly fine, and are often virtually finished pieces in their own right. |
| Bibliographic reference | Bilbey, Diane and Trusted, Marjorie. British Sculpture 1470-2000. A Concise Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 2002, p. 138, cat.no 190 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.59-1953 |
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| Record created | June 28, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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