{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O175601"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O175601/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JU0120/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JU0120/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017JU0120","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JU0123","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O175601/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O175601","accessionNumber":"1582-1903","objectType":"Statuette","titles":[{"title":"St Barbara","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This statuette is by an unknown artist made in the late 15th or early 16th century in Siegburg in Germany.\r\nIt is made of pipeclay, which is a fine white clay also used to make tobacco pipes and pottery. Conveniently situated on a major trading route, Siegburg was a centre of ceramic production with well-organised workshops and kilns in which pipe-clay figures were also fired.\r\n\r\nThe figure represents Saint Barbara, who was a Christian saint and martyr. She is the patron saint of artillerymen, military engineers and miners and all professions working with explosives. \r\n\r\nHer legend seems not to have any historical foundation behind it. \r\nIt tells that her father built a tower with two windows where he shut his daughter in to keep her away from her suitors. Barbara persuaded the workmen to add a third window, which symbolises the Trinity.\r\n\r\nHer father later killed her. He himself was then killed by a lightning and that is why Saint Barbara became the patroness of all professions related to gunfire and firearms.","physicalDescription":"The Saint St. Barbara stands with a sword in her right hand and a tower supported on her left arm","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pipeclay","id":"x43337"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pipeclay","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2017JU0120","2017JU0123"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES396303"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Statuette","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Siegburg","id":"x39178"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"late 15th century to early 16th century","earliest":"1450-01-01","latest":"1550-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"8.26","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought from the Thewalt Collection.","historicalContext":"Siegburg was a centre of ceramic production with well-organised workshops and kilns in which pipeclay figures were also fired.","briefDescription":"Statuette, pipeclay, St. Barbara, Germany, Siegburg, late 15th or early 16th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Inventory of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in the Years 1903 - 1904. <u>In</u>: <u>List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, During the Year 1903, Arranged According to the Dates of  Acquisition with Appendix and Indices</u>. London: Printed for His Majesty's Stationery Office, by Wyman and Sons, Limited, 1907, p. 269"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"St. Barbara","id":"N2819"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"sword","id":"AAT37048"},{"text":"tower","id":"AAT4811"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["1582-1903"],"accessionNumberNum":"1582","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1903,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-19","recordCreationDate":"2008-11-25","availableToBook":false}}