{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O15438"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O15438/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT8966/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT8966/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AT8966","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KR9858","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O15438/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O15438","accessionNumber":"A.36-1952","objectType":"Bust","titles":[{"title":"Queen Victoria","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>This marble bust of Queen Victoria (reigned 1837-1901) shows her dressed simply, although her royal status is indicated by the royal coat of arms on the front of the socle (base). The bust was made six years after her accession to the throne by a German sculptor possibly known to her husband, Prince Albert (1819-1861). The exact circumstances for the commission are unknown.<br><br><b>People</b><br>The sculptor of the bust, Johann Jacob Flatters (1786-1845), was born in the German city of Krefeld, but trained at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts (School of Fine Arts) in Paris, under the French artists Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741-1828) and Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825). He exhibited at the Salon in Paris from 1810 to 1839 and was created a member of the Legion of Honour. He settled in London in 1842 and exhibited at the Royal Academy there in that year. He was also known as a book illustrator.<br><br><b>Materials & Making</b><br>Marble busts were among the most popular and prestigious types of public portrait in Britain during the Victorian period. The marble, a relatively expensive material, was imported, usually from Italy via the Netherlands, since there are no marble quarries in Britain. Aspiring artists might also learn the skill of carving marble abroad, where they would probably gain their most important training assisting an established sculptor.","physicalDescription":"This youthful portrait of Queen Victoria shows the monarch garlanded with roses, rather than wearing a crown.  Although dressed simply, her royalty is indicated by the coat of arms on the front of the socle. Signed.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Flatters, Johann Jacob","id":"A8389"},"association":{"text":"sculptor","id":"AAT25181"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"marble","id":"AAT11443"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Marble","categories":[{"text":"British Galleries","id":"THES48985"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"},{"text":"Royalty","id":"THES48899"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2006AT8966","2018KR9858"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"123 (VA)","id":"THES49217"},"free":"","case":"PL2","shelf":"","box":"3"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Bust","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1843","earliest":"1843-01-01","latest":"1843-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"67.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"45","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"23","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: measured; 23/12/1998 by sf; weight 80-90 kg. approx.","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Flatters/.1843'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"on the sitter's left shoulder"}],"objectHistory":"Purchased at an unrecorded sale early in 1952 by Dr W.L. Hildburgh F.S.A.\r\nGiven by Dr. W. L. Hildburgh, F. S. A. to the Museum in 1952.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Bust, marble, Queen Victoria, by Johann Jakob Flatters, London, 1843","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Bilbey, Diane and Trusted, Marjorie. <u>British Sculpture 1470-2000. A Concise Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum</u>. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 2002, pp. 258-9, cat.no. 391"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Schmidt, H., ‘Johann Jakob Flatters, ein Krefelder Schüler von Houdon’, in: <u>Der Niederrhein</u>, no. 3, 1957, p. 66, figs. 6 and 7 on p. 69"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Victoria, Queen","id":"N834"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"rose (flower)","id":"x31675"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nThe youthful Queen Victoria is shown here as an idealised figure, in contrast with other, more lifelike portraits of her. She is dressed in a version of classical robes and wears a wreath of roses in place of the laurel wreath of a Roman hero or emperor.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["A.36-1952"],"accessionNumberNum":"36","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1952,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LU1961"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-09","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":false}}