{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O106695"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O106695/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2016JA7239/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2016JA7239/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2016JA7239","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JA6649","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JA7237","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JA7238","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JA7240","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AE6596","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JX3511","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O106695/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O106695","accessionNumber":"A.126-1910","objectType":"Inkstand","titles":[{"title":"Europa and the bull","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The great majority of bronzes produced during the Italian Renaissance were made for use, so-called 'functional bronzes', which, however beautiful in their own right, nevertheless had some practical use beyond simple ornament. This is the case of this bronze inkstand group, which was intended for the writing table, together with other utensils and vessels. The furnishing of the study was indeed one of the most important tasks of bronze casting. \r\nThe bull is reclining on the ground, Europa seated on his back and resting her left hand on his horn. At the corner of the base is a large spiral shell for ink. The base is supported on four feet and decorated with a broad band of interlacing ornament.  It might not have been the original one, as the group does not sit correctly on it.\r\n\r\nEuropa was a Phoenician woman and in Greek mythology Zeus was falling in love with her and tried to seduce or ravish her. He transformed himself into a white bull, mixing into a larger herd. When Europa saw him she got on his back and Zeus ran away with her to the sea and swam to Crete with her on the back. He then unveiled his identity and Europa became the first Queen of Crete.","physicalDescription":"Bronze inkstand group depicting Europa and the bull. The bull is reclining on the ground, Europa seated on his back wearing antique drapery and resting her left hand on his horn; at the corner of the base is a large spiral shell for ink. The base is oblong, supported on four feet and decorated with a broad band of interlacing ornament along each side.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"bronze","id":"AAT10957"}],"techniques":[{"text":"casting","id":"AAT53104"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Bronze","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Myths & Legends","id":"THES49005"},{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2016JA7239","2016JA6649","2016JA7237","2016JA7238","2016JA7240","2006AE6596","2017JX3511"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES395435"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Inkstand","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"},{"place":{"text":"Padua","id":"x29504"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1600","earliest":"1595-01-01","latest":"1604-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Salting Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"17","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"11","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"17","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions were taken by SCP on 27.10.14 for <b>Bronze Zoo: A Sculptural Menagerie </b>","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"From the Salting bequest.\n\nThe base with shell appear to be workshop of Severo while figures of Europa and Bull have been added later. The combination of parts speaks of the market. ","historicalContext":"The great majority of bronzes produced during the Italian Renaissance were made for use, so-called 'functional bronzes', which, however beautiful in their own right, nevertheless had some practical use beyond simple ornament. This is the case of this bronze inkstand group, which was intended for the writing table, together with other utensils and vessels. The furnishing of the study was indeed one of the most important tasks of bronze casting.","briefDescription":"Inkstand, Europa and the Bull, base section probably workshop of Severo da Ravenna (active 1496-1543), probably Italian, ca. 1600","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Renaissance bronzes from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London : Renaissance bronzes and related drawings from the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford / organized by the Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"'Salting Bequest (A. 70 to A. 1029-1910) / Murray Bequest (A. 1030 to A. 1096-1910)'. In: <u>List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum (Department of Architecture and Sculpture)</u>. London: Printed under the Authority of his Majesty's Stationery Office, by Eyre and Spottiswoode, Limited, East Harding Street, EC, p. 9"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Europa","id":"N197"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"bulls (animal)","id":"x30279"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["A.126-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"126","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-11-17","recordCreationDate":"2004-10-22","availableToBook":true}}