Sunna thumbnail 1
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Sculpture, Room 23, The Dorothy and Michael Hintze Galleries

Sunna

Figure
ca. 1728 - ca. 1730 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Like the seated figure of Thuner (Museum no. A.10-1985) Sunna is from a unique series of Saxon gods that Lord Cobham commissioned for his gardens at Stowe. Each Saxon god is traditionally associated with a day of the week, and Sunna represents Sunday. The figure was lost for many years and only rediscovered in 1996. The Saxon gods are tied in with the political iconography of Stowe, and symbolise Lord Cobham’s allegiance to the ideals of those Whigs who had broken away from Sir Robert Walpole. As such they represent an ancient British identity.

Rysbrack 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 prototypes.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleSunna (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Portland stone
Brief description
Figure, Portland stone, 'Sunna', by John Michael Rysbrack, English, 1728-1730
Physical description
The head of sunna is turned to the left, and she holds a wheel in front of her with both hands.
Dimensions
  • Weight: 150kg
  • Height: 88.3cm
Pallet plinth weighs 79 kg
Gallery label
John Michael Rysbrack (1694–1770) Sunna About 1728–30 Like the seated figure of Thuner displayed nearby, Sunna is from a series of Saxon gods commissioned for the gardens at Stowe House in Buckinghamshire. Each god was traditionally associated with a day of the week, with Sunna representing Sunday and Thuner being Thursday. London Portland stone Commissioned by Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham (1675–1749) for the gardens at Stowe House, Buckinghamshire(2021)
Credit line
Purchased with the assistance of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Hildburgh Bequest, and an anonymous donor
Object history
It was commissioned by Lord Cobham for his garden at Stowe.

Purchased with the assistance of the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Whiteley Trust, the Hildburgh Fund and an anonymous donor for £135,862.50 from Christie, Manson & Woods Ltd in 1997.
Subject depicted
Summary
Like the seated figure of Thuner (Museum no. A.10-1985) Sunna is from a unique series of Saxon gods that Lord Cobham commissioned for his gardens at Stowe. Each Saxon god is traditionally associated with a day of the week, and Sunna represents Sunday. The figure was lost for many years and only rediscovered in 1996. The Saxon gods are tied in with the political iconography of Stowe, and symbolise Lord Cobham’s allegiance to the ideals of those Whigs who had broken away from Sir Robert Walpole. As such they represent an ancient British identity.

Rysbrack 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 prototypes.
Bibliographic references
  • Bilbey, Diane with Trusted, Marjorie, British Sculpture 1470 to 2000. A Concise Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2002, pp. 131-132, cat. no. 182
  • Williamson, Paul, “Acquisition of Sculpture at the Victoria & Albert Museum, 1992-1999”, in: Burlington Magazine, Dec. 1999, CXLI, p. 786, fig. X
Collection
Accession number
A.2-1997

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Record createdJuly 8, 2002
Record URL
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