Egyptian figure thumbnail 1
Egyptian figure thumbnail 2
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Egyptian figure

Statuette
ca. 1800 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Italy (made)

This apparently Egyptian figure is an adaptation of a Roman marble made in the first century A.D and excavated from Hadrian's villa. The marble represents Hadrian's favourite, Antinous in Egyptian dress. Reproductions of this figure were made in many different materials in the early nineteenth century and became particularly popular following Napoleon's Egyptian campaign.

Shortly before this object was acquired it was associated by John Pope Hennessy, then Museum Director, with the Regency designer Thomas Hope. However the present statue differs in costume and appearance from the figures designed by Hope for his Egyptian room in Duchess St, and it is unlikely to be directly connected with his work.

Object details

Category
Sculpture
Object type
Statuette
TitleEgyptian figure (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Rosso antico marble
Marble
Brief description
Statuette of an Egyptian figure, marble (rosso antico), probably Italy, about 1800
Physical description
A standing figure in Egyptian dress, left foot forward, and hands presenting a plaque. The figure is integrally part of a columnar structure with a flattened capital, which stands at its back, as if the use of the figure was for a bookend.
Dimensions
  • Height: 50cm
  • Width: 7.5cm
  • Depth: 12cm
Dims taken by Scp Oct 05
Gallery label
(09.06.2017)
Label for 'American and European Art and Design 1800-1900', Gallery 101, de-canted March 2017:

'7
Two Egyptian Figures
About 1800

These apparently Egyptian figures are adaptations of a Roman marble of Antinous, the Emperor Hadrian's favourite, in Egyptian dress. The marble had been excavated at Hadrian's Villa. Although Johann Wincklemann, the leading theorist and writer on antique sculpture, had recognised the statue as Roman, most people thought it was Egyptian. It was much reproduced from the 1790s in many different materials.

Italy, probably Rome
Marble ('rosso antico')

Museum nos. A.4,5-1974
Bequeated by the 7th Duke of Wellington through the Art Fund'
Credit line
Bequeathed by the 7th Duke of Wellington through Art Fund
Object history
Bequeathed by the seventh Duke of Wellington through the National Art-Collections Fund.
Subject depicted
Headdresses
Summary
This apparently Egyptian figure is an adaptation of a Roman marble made in the first century A.D and excavated from Hadrian's villa. The marble represents Hadrian's favourite, Antinous in Egyptian dress. Reproductions of this figure were made in many different materials in the early nineteenth century and became particularly popular following Napoleon's Egyptian campaign.

Shortly before this object was acquired it was associated by John Pope Hennessy, then Museum Director, with the Regency designer Thomas Hope. However the present statue differs in costume and appearance from the figures designed by Hope for his Egyptian room in Duchess St, and it is unlikely to be directly connected with his work.
Associated object
A.4-1974 (Set)
Bibliographic references
  • Watkin, D. Thomas Hope and the Neo-Classical Idea, London, 1968.
  • Doyen, Florence (ed.), Le Roman de la Momie : Les Amours d'une Princesse Égyptienne. Namur : Abbaye St-Gérard de Brogne, 1997 no. 49
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.5-1974

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Record createdMarch 8, 2004
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O96382/egyptian-figure-statuette-unknown/
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