{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O312919"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O312919/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2016JB3880/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2016JB3880/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2016JB3880","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JB3865","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JB3866","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JB3867","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JB3870","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JB3871","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JB3872","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JB3873","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JB3874","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JB3875","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JB3876","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JB3877","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JB3878","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JB3879","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY2696","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY2684","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY2683","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY2663","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY2662","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY2661","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY2656","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY2651","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O312919/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O312919","accessionNumber":"A.29-1959","objectType":"Relief","titles":[{"title":"Orpheus Playing to the Animals","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"The group of plaquettes depicts Orpheus playing the lyre, surrounded by a variety of animals and elements of nature such as trees and rocks.\nThis widespread iconography, popularized through numerous engravings, has its origins in ancient Rome and is found in both the Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius and the Metamorphoses by Ovid. The theme of Orpheus playing for the beasts was often central to the decoration of cabinets found in English houses. The current mounting of the plaques is not original; they were originally intended to be displayed on a cabinet, similar to the arrangement seen in John Evelyn's Cabinet. (W.24-1977).\nThe Museum acquired this set of thirteen bronze reliefs in 1959. This set was listed in the 1755 sale of physicist and collector Richard Mead, who had an extensive collection known from the sale catalogue. There, he described an Orpheus sitting under a tree, playing the zither and surrounded by animals.\nThese reliefs were published in 1970 by Mary Webster in an article on Richard Mead's collecting tastes, presented as being in the style of Adriaen de Vries. No specific name or range was suggested in the catalogue of Mead's collection sale in 1755. In 1974, another relief appeared at a Sotheby's sale in London, now housed in the V&amp;A (A.4-1975), which was then attributed to a Dutch artist. The presence of these two variants in the museum (to which a third was added in 1977 mounted with other animal reliefs on the John Evelyn’s Cabinet, W.24-1977) allowed for a more detailed study of the attribution, leading to the first mention of Fanelli's name based on comparisons with other certain or attributed bronzes. For instance, the head of Orpheus closely resembles that of Deianira in one of Fanelli's versions (A.7-1953). Furthermore, the animalistic features of these reliefs are found in other documented bronzes, such as the Turk Attacked by the Lion (A.4-1953), which features the same dog and lion models.\nThere is no ancient documentation of these reliefs, making the dating somewhat uncertain. However, the model's conception is certainly linked to the sculptor's English period, likely around the late 1630s.  \r\nThe reliefs are almost entirely modelled directly in wax, evident in the carving of the rocks and the foliage of the trees, with some cold chiseling in a few areas. The state of preservation is very good, with the exception of a fracture on the inside of the lyre. There are no metal flaws or air bubbles, indicating that the casting is of high quality. Comparisons with other works suggest these are Fanelli's autograph pieces.\r\nOther variations exist, such as on the central door of the John Evelyn cabinet in the V&amp;A, and in the center of a cabinet in the Ian Askew Collection in Pallant House, Chichester.  \r\n\nThese bronzes all derived from the same composition, but all show minor variations, making each of them a unique cast. This practice is typical of the bronzes coming from the workshop of Francesco Fanelli who specialized in small bronzes made as collectable items. Like most sculptors of his time, Fanelli used the indirect lost wax technique for casting his bronzes which allowed him to keep the original model and to create replicas. However, these were never identical to another, and each had its own characteristics. \nFrancesco Fanelli was an Italian sculptor born in Florence on 17 December 1577. In the early years of the 17th century, he was in Genoa where he executed bronzes as well as large-scale marble sculptures, most probably with the assistance of his sons who pursued the same career as their father. Moving to England in 1632, Francesco became court sculptor to Charles I and worked for several private English patrons, among them the Duke of Newcastle. He was last recorded in 1641.\nSmall bronzes of different subjects were collected in Europe from the early Renaissance. Those collected in 17th century Britain were almost all secular subjects and mainly related to mythology themes. Arranged on shelves, consoles or tables, these small bronzes were displayed in the collectors' studios, rooms or galleries containing other works of art, such as paintings, sculptures or cabinets. Depending on the subject and size of the bronzes, collectors were delighted to view them from different perspectives, often admiring their shine when bathed in light.\nIn addition to King Charles I and the Duke of Newcastle, Fanelli received other commissions from wealthy people, even if only few are recorded in the documents. Fanelli’s bronzes had a long lasting legacy. Despite the absence of information, it is believed that he bequeathed his models to his workshop as hundreds of bronzes made from those models were likely cast after his death and lack the refinement of those made by Fanelli himself.\nIn the 18th century, collectors' interest in bronzes was supplemented by their taste for porcelain. Some of Fanelli's models were then translated into this material, sometimes even polychromed. ","physicalDescription":"This bronze relief consists of thirteen plaquettes enclosed in a later frame. The largest one is in the center and depicts Orpheus sitting on a rock, playing his lyre and singing. He is surrounded by various animals, some of them exotic. Additional animals are depicted on the plaquettes surrounding him: cow, lion, goat, bull, horse, ass, lion, leopard, bear, boar, hound, lioness.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Fanelli, Francesco","id":"A8376"},"association":{"text":"sculptor","id":"x43862"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"bronze","id":"AAT10957"}],"techniques":[{"text":"relief","id":"AAT53622"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Bronze relief, lost-wax casting.  ","categories":[{"text":"Bronze","id":"THES49033"},{"text":"Reliefs","id":"THES49035"},{"text":"Myths & Legends","id":"THES49005"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2016JB3880","2016JB3865","2016JB3866","2016JB3867","2016JB3870","2016JB3871","2016JB3872","2016JB3873","2016JB3874","2016JB3875","2016JB3876","2016JB3877","2016JB3878","2016JB3879","2018KY2696","2018KY2684","2018KY2683","2018KY2663","2018KY2662","2018KY2661","2018KY2656","2018KY2651"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396166"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396166"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396166"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396166"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396166"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396166"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396166"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396166"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396166"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396166"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396166"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396166"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES396166"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Relief","id":""}],[{"text":"Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: cow","id":""}],[{"text":"Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: lion","id":""}],[{"text":"Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: goat","id":""}],[{"text":"Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: bull","id":""}],[{"text":"Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: horse","id":""}],[{"text":"Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: ass","id":""}],[{"text":"Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: lion","id":""}],[{"text":"Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: leopard","id":""}],[{"text":"Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: bear","id":""}],[{"text":"Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: boar","id":""}],[{"text":"Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: hound","id":""}],[{"text":"Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: lioness","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1640","earliest":"1635-01-01","latest":"1644-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"A.4-1975","id":"O312940"},"association":""}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"17.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"19.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought under the Murray bequest for £185, in 1959. The reliefs were formerly in the collection of Dr Richard Mead (Mead cabinet). ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Reliefs, Orpheus Playing to the Animals, bronze, by Francesco Fanelli (1577-after 1641), Anglo-Italian, England (London), ca. 1640. ","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Anthony Radcliffe, Peter Thornton, ‘John Evelyn’s Cabinet’, <i>The Connoisseur</i>, 197, 794, 1978, pp. 254-62, fig. 7. "},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Webster, Mary, \"Taste of an Augustan Collector. The Collection of Dr Richard Mead I\",<i>Country Life</i>, Jan. 29, 1970, pp. 249-251"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>Museum Maedianum. A catalogue of the genuine and entire collection of valuable gems, bronzes marble and other busts and antiquities of the late Dr. Richard Mead</i>, London, Tuesday, 11 March 1755, p. 2. "}],"production":"Anglo-Italian ","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Orpheus","id":"N98"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"animals","id":"x30274"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["A.29-1959","A.29A-1959","A.29B-1959","A.29C-1959","A.29D-1959","A.29E-1959","A.29F-1959","A.29G-1959","A.29H-1959","A.29I-1959","A.29J-1959","A.29K-1959","A.29L-1959"],"accessionNumberNum":"29","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1959,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Relief","Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: cow","Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: lion [1]","Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: goat","Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: bull","Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: horse","Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: ass","Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: lion [2]","Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: leopard","Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: bear","Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: boar","Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: hound","Relief Orpheus playing to the animals: lioness"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-15","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}