{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O127120"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O127120/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NA5058/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NA5058/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021NA5058","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NA4515","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NA4516","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NA4517","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NA4518","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NA4522","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC3201","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O127120/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O127120","accessionNumber":"318-1880","objectType":"Model ","titles":[{"title":"Competition model for the 1851 International Exhibition Memorial","type":"named collection"}],"summaryDescription":"A competition to design a memorial to commemorate the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Hyde Park was announced in July 1857. Stevens produced this model, but it was unsuccessful. In Stevens's model a standing figure of Queen Victoria surmounts the memorial. Around the base are allegorical figures representing Asia, Africa, America and Europe. The winning design, by Joseph Durham, was originally intended for Hyde Park, but is now situated near the V&A behind the Albert Hall.\n\nIn his youth, Alfred Stevens (1817/18-1875) spent nine years studying in Italy, where he was trained in painting, sculpture, architectural design and ornament. A sculptor, designer and painter, Stevens rejected contemporary distinctions between fine art and design. From 1850 to 1857 he was chief designer to Hoole &amp; Co., Sheffield, where he produced award-winning designs for metalwork, majolica, terracotta ornaments and chimney-pieces. Perhaps his two greatest works were the decorations for the dining-room at Dorchester House, London (about 1856), for which he made countless drawings inspired by the Italian High Renaissance style, in particular the work of Michelangelo and the monument to the Duke of Wellington for St Paul's Cathedral, London, which was completed after his death. The two allegorical groups from this monument made a lasting impact on the New Sculpture movement.  The influence of the Italian Renaissance is evident in much of his work, and is perhaps best reflected in the Wellington monument.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Model, plaster. Scale model for the completion for the memorial of the Great Exhibition of 1851. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Stevens, Alfred George","id":"A8886"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"plaster","id":"AAT14922"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Plaster","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Great Exhibition","id":"THES48945"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2021NA5058","2021NA4515","2021NA4516","2021NA4517","2021NA4518","2021NA4522","2017KC3201"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"33","id":"THES49827"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Model","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1857","earliest":"1852-01-01","latest":"1861-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"211","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'TO COMMEMORATE/THE EXHIBITION/ON THIS GROUND/IN THE YEAR 1851/OF THE WORKS OF/ART AND INDUSTRY/OF ALL NATIONS'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Purchased from Mr James Gamble in 1880 (purchase price not recorded). In an annotated copy (copy held in the National Art Library; also cited in the appendix of Towndrow 1950, p. 129) of the Robinson and Fisher sale catalogue of Steven's studio, held on 19 July 1877, lot 34, described as 'A plaster cast of the original competitive design for memorial of Exhibition 1851' was sold to 'Gamble', presumably James Gamble for £2 10s.","historicalContext":"A public competition to design a suitable memorial to the 1851 International Exhibition to be erected in Hyde Park was announced in July 1857, with entries to be received by 2 February 1858. Stevens' design was never carried out.","briefDescription":"Model, wood and plaster, for the competition of the exhibition memorial for the Great Exhibition 1851, by Alfred Stevens, England, ca. 1857","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>List of Objects in the Art Division, South Kensington Museum acquired during the Year 1880.</u> London, 1881, p. 25"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Bilbey, Diane with Trusted, Marjorie. <u>British Sculpture 1470 to 2000. A Concise Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum</u>, London, 2002, pp. 405-6, cat no. 659"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Armstrong, W. <u>Alfred Stevens. A biographical study.</u> London, 1881, pp. 14-15, 47, fig. 37"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Royal Academy Winter Exhibition. Drawings and Models by Alfred Stevens.</u> London: Royal Academy, 1890, p. 51, cat. no. 95"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Stannus, H. <u>Alfred Stevens and his work</u>, London, 1891, pp. 21-2, pl. xxxix"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Victoria and Albert Museum, Picture Book of the Work of Alfred Stevens.</u> London: V& A, 1926, fig. 2"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Towndrow, K.R. <u>Alfred Stevens.</u> London, 1939, pp. 136-7, figs, 23, 24a, b, 25"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Beattie, S. <u>Alfred Stevens 1817-1875.</u> London, 1975, p. 42, pl. 53"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Sankey, J.A. <u>Thomas Brock and the Critics: An examination of Brock's place in the New Sculpture Movement</u>, PhD Thesis, University of Leeds, 2002, p. 218 and pl. 140"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Alfred Stevens (1817–75)\r\n<i>Model for a memorial to the Great Exhibition of 1851</i>\r\nAbout 1857\n\r\nStevens produced this model for a competition to design a memorial to the Great Exhibition. He had studied in Italy for nine years where he absorbed the lessons of Renaissance art, particularly Michelangelo. This influence is evident here in the allegorical figures representing the Four Continents: Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe. The competition’s winning design by Joseph Durham now stands in front of the Royal Albert Hall.\n\r\nLondon\r\nWood and plaster","date":{"text":"2021","earliest":"2021-01-01","latest":"2021-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["318-1880"],"accessionNumberNum":"318","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1880,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN5667","2019LT3962","2019LW4484"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-10","recordCreationDate":"2006-08-14","availableToBook":false}}