{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1114280"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1114280/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH0684/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH0684/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AH0684","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AH0695","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AH0644","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1114280/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1114280","accessionNumber":"S.86-1978","objectType":"Bust","titles":[{"title":"Sarah Siddons","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Plaster bust of Sarah Siddons (1755-1831), self-portrait sculpture, ca.1790.\r\n\r\nSarah Siddons, née Kemble, was born in Brecon, Wales, into a touring company of actors led by her father Roger Kemble. She and her brother, John Philip Kemble (1757-1823), became the leading stars of their generation. Although Sarah’s debut on the London stage in 1775 was not a success, she was invited back to London after triumphant appearances at the Theatre Royal in Bath and became the talk of the town, much favoured by the royal family. She was admired in her private life for her virtue as a wife and mother, and on stage she was acclaimed for her performances in tragedy. Reynolds immortalised her as the tragic muse in his portrait of 1784. Shakespeare provided her with some of her greatest roles, notably Lady Macbeth, Hermione in <i>The Winter’s Tale</i> and Queen Katherine in <i>Henry VIII</i>.\r\n\r\nSiddons adopted sculpture as a hobby. This plaster self-portrait dates from around 1790 when artists were looking to Ancient Greece and Rome for inspiration. It resembles a classical bust, except for the fashionable 18th century head-dress with a chin strap. \r\n","physicalDescription":"Plaster bust of a woman with curled hair, wearing an 18th century chin-strap headdress. On an integral plinth.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Siddons, Sarah","id":"N926"},"association":{"text":"sculptors","id":"AAT25181"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"plaster","id":"AAT14922"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"modelling (forming)","id":"AAT53130"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Plaster","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006AH0684","2006AH0695","2006AH0644"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES402654"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"busts","id":"AAT47457"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1790","earliest":"1785-01-01","latest":"1794-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the British Theatre Museum Association","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Weight","value":"9.1","unit":"kg","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"11/09/2023","earliest":"2023-09-11","latest":"2023-09-11"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"620","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"280","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"325","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"200","unit":"mm","qualifier":"Diameter of the base","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Purchased by the British Theatre Museum Association in November 1970, with funding provided by the Radcliffe Trust.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Plaster bust of Sarah Siddons (1755-1831), self-portrait sculpture, ca.1790","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Siddons, Sarah","id":"N926"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Label for the display <i>Enthoven Unboxed: 100 Years of Collecting Performance</i>:\nSarah Siddons is described in the <i>Oxford Dictionary of National Biography</i> as 'the greatest female performer in English theatrical history.' Celebrated for playing tragic roles, particularly Lady Macbeth, Siddons helped legitimise the acting profession, previously considered a disreputable occupation, particularly for women.","date":{"text":"2024","earliest":"2024-01-01","latest":"2024-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["S.86-1978"],"accessionNumberNum":"86","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1978,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"BTMA accession number","id":"THES51752"},"number":"1970/A/145"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2023NN5927"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-10","recordCreationDate":"2009-07-01","availableToBook":false}}