Puck, from A Midsummer Night's Dream
Statue
ca. 1847 - ca. 1860 (carved)
ca. 1847 - ca. 1860 (carved)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Lough specialised in works based on characters and themes in plays by William Shakespeare (1564-1616). A bronze depicting Duncan's horses devouring one another, from Macbeth, a marble figure of Titania from A Midsummer Night's Dream, and a marble figure of Jaques from As You Like It are also in the Museum's collections. In early July 1847 Lough opened his studio to exhibit several of his Shakespearian sculptures. According to a report in the Literary Gazette of the exhibition, Puck 'is truly the merriest and most mischievous of sprites. His head is young in form, but old in frolic, and cunning, and archness. That fellow cannot move without a trick; and how he stands, the mushroom Colossus, not of Rhodes, but of a hundred ways to fun and knavery. He is the quintessence of shrewdness and selfish whimsicality. It is a happy performance, and the true representative of all we fancy in our fairy love.'
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Puck, from <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream</i> (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Statue, marble, 'Puck' from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', by John Graham Lough, ca. 1847-1860, English |
| Physical description | Puck stands, draped in a cloth and holding a scroll. A dog-like animal lies between his feet. Signed. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'J. C. LOUGH' (Signature; At the front of the integral base) |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by William Minshull Bigg |
| Object history | Bequeathed by William Minshull Bigg in 1867, together with V&A Mus. nos 324-1867 and 325-1867. An example of the model for this sculpture was exhibited in the Great Exhibition of 1851 and at an exhibition in the Guildhall London in the same year (see the official catalogue of the 1851 Exhibition, and the "Builder", Nov 1851, p. 743, respectively). |
| Subject depicted | |
| Literary reference | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Summary | Lough specialised in works based on characters and themes in plays by William Shakespeare (1564-1616). A bronze depicting Duncan's horses devouring one another, from Macbeth, a marble figure of Titania from A Midsummer Night's Dream, and a marble figure of Jaques from As You Like It are also in the Museum's collections. In early July 1847 Lough opened his studio to exhibit several of his Shakespearian sculptures. According to a report in the Literary Gazette of the exhibition, Puck 'is truly the merriest and most mischievous of sprites. His head is young in form, but old in frolic, and cunning, and archness. That fellow cannot move without a trick; and how he stands, the mushroom Colossus, not of Rhodes, but of a hundred ways to fun and knavery. He is the quintessence of shrewdness and selfish whimsicality. It is a happy performance, and the true representative of all we fancy in our fairy love.' |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 323-1867 |
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| Record created | September 5, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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