Dame Elizabeth Esteve-Coll
Statuette
1996 (made)
1996 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This statuette represents Dame Elizabeth Esteve-Coll, D.B.E. (b. 1938) who was the director of the Victoria and Albert Museum from 1988-1995. The statuette was commissioned from the sculptor by the Museum and is one of three versions made by Sir Eduardo Paolozzi and cast by the Arch Bronze Foundry in London in 1996.
Paolozzi (1924-2005) was a British sculptor, collagist, printmaker, film maker and writer. Born of Italian parents, he attended Edinburgh College of Art in 1943. After a brief military service, in 1944 he attended St Martin’s School of Art in London, and from 1945 to 1947 he studied sculpture at the Slade School of Fine Art. In 1947 he moved to Paris. He remained there until 1949, meeting artists such as Arp, Braque, Brancusi, Giacometti, Jean Hélion, Léger and Tristan Tzara. He was attracted to Surrealist art and ideas and was also impressed by the art brut of Dubuffet. From 1949 to 1955 Paolozzi taught at the Central School of Art and Design in London. During the 1970s Paolozzi experimented with wood in a number of abstract relief works using an intricate network of geometric and biomorphic elements.
Elizabeth Esteve-Coll was appointed Keeper and Chief Librarian of the National Art Library from 1985, and was Director of the Museum from 1988 to 1995. The two reliefs on the pedestal of the figure were inspired by objects in the Museum's collections. The left-hand panel is an interpretation of the Descent from the Cross, a model in gilt, wax and wood by the 16th-century Italian architect and sculptor Jacopo Sansovino (Museum no. 7595-1861). The right-hand panel is inspired by the Burghley Nef, a nautilus shell (similar to mother-of-pearl) mounted in silver parcel gilt, dating from 1482-3 (Museum no. M.60-1959).
The Museum also has a maquette of the head and torso of this figure in plaster on a wooden base (Mus. no. A.2-2001) and a plaster maquette of the head (A.3-2001) together with a plaster maquette for the plinth and two for the base (Mus. no. A.6 to 8-2001). A plaster maquette for the complete figure is also in the collection (Mus. no. A.5-2001).
Paolozzi (1924-2005) was a British sculptor, collagist, printmaker, film maker and writer. Born of Italian parents, he attended Edinburgh College of Art in 1943. After a brief military service, in 1944 he attended St Martin’s School of Art in London, and from 1945 to 1947 he studied sculpture at the Slade School of Fine Art. In 1947 he moved to Paris. He remained there until 1949, meeting artists such as Arp, Braque, Brancusi, Giacometti, Jean Hélion, Léger and Tristan Tzara. He was attracted to Surrealist art and ideas and was also impressed by the art brut of Dubuffet. From 1949 to 1955 Paolozzi taught at the Central School of Art and Design in London. During the 1970s Paolozzi experimented with wood in a number of abstract relief works using an intricate network of geometric and biomorphic elements.
Elizabeth Esteve-Coll was appointed Keeper and Chief Librarian of the National Art Library from 1985, and was Director of the Museum from 1988 to 1995. The two reliefs on the pedestal of the figure were inspired by objects in the Museum's collections. The left-hand panel is an interpretation of the Descent from the Cross, a model in gilt, wax and wood by the 16th-century Italian architect and sculptor Jacopo Sansovino (Museum no. 7595-1861). The right-hand panel is inspired by the Burghley Nef, a nautilus shell (similar to mother-of-pearl) mounted in silver parcel gilt, dating from 1482-3 (Museum no. M.60-1959).
The Museum also has a maquette of the head and torso of this figure in plaster on a wooden base (Mus. no. A.2-2001) and a plaster maquette of the head (A.3-2001) together with a plaster maquette for the plinth and two for the base (Mus. no. A.6 to 8-2001). A plaster maquette for the complete figure is also in the collection (Mus. no. A.5-2001).
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Dame Elizabeth Esteve-Coll (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Bronze |
| Brief description | Statuette, bronze, of Dame Elizabeth Esteve-Coll, made by Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, British, 1996 |
| Physical description | Signed and dated on the front of the integral base. Inscribed on two panels on the side of the integral base. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Object history | Commissioned from the sculptor by the Museum. This is one of three versions produced by Paolozzi for a total sum of £30,000 plus VAT of £ 3,520. Another version was presented to Elizabeth Esteve-Coll; the third is held in the National Art Library, Mus. no. A.29-2000. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This statuette represents Dame Elizabeth Esteve-Coll, D.B.E. (b. 1938) who was the director of the Victoria and Albert Museum from 1988-1995. The statuette was commissioned from the sculptor by the Museum and is one of three versions made by Sir Eduardo Paolozzi and cast by the Arch Bronze Foundry in London in 1996. Paolozzi (1924-2005) was a British sculptor, collagist, printmaker, film maker and writer. Born of Italian parents, he attended Edinburgh College of Art in 1943. After a brief military service, in 1944 he attended St Martin’s School of Art in London, and from 1945 to 1947 he studied sculpture at the Slade School of Fine Art. In 1947 he moved to Paris. He remained there until 1949, meeting artists such as Arp, Braque, Brancusi, Giacometti, Jean Hélion, Léger and Tristan Tzara. He was attracted to Surrealist art and ideas and was also impressed by the art brut of Dubuffet. From 1949 to 1955 Paolozzi taught at the Central School of Art and Design in London. During the 1970s Paolozzi experimented with wood in a number of abstract relief works using an intricate network of geometric and biomorphic elements. Elizabeth Esteve-Coll was appointed Keeper and Chief Librarian of the National Art Library from 1985, and was Director of the Museum from 1988 to 1995. The two reliefs on the pedestal of the figure were inspired by objects in the Museum's collections. The left-hand panel is an interpretation of the Descent from the Cross, a model in gilt, wax and wood by the 16th-century Italian architect and sculptor Jacopo Sansovino (Museum no. 7595-1861). The right-hand panel is inspired by the Burghley Nef, a nautilus shell (similar to mother-of-pearl) mounted in silver parcel gilt, dating from 1482-3 (Museum no. M.60-1959). The Museum also has a maquette of the head and torso of this figure in plaster on a wooden base (Mus. no. A.2-2001) and a plaster maquette of the head (A.3-2001) together with a plaster maquette for the plinth and two for the base (Mus. no. A.6 to 8-2001). A plaster maquette for the complete figure is also in the collection (Mus. no. A.5-2001). |
| Associated object | A.30-2000 (Version) |
| 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. 462, cat. no. 753 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.29-2000 |
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| Record created | November 16, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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