{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O313137"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O313137/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MD0837/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MD0837/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019MD0837","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O313137/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O313137","accessionNumber":"A.35-1952","objectType":"Relief","titles":[{"title":"The Worship of the Golden Calf","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This undocumented relief illustrates the Old Testament scene of Moses discovering the Israelites worshipping the Golden Calf. Moses can be seen in the background descending from Mount Sinai and about to throw down the Tablets on which the Commandments were written.\r\nThe figures in the foreground appear to have been modelled separately in the clay and applied to the low-relief background before firing. The area around Bologna was a source of good quality clay and the city therefore became an important centre for terracotta sculpture. \r\nAgostino Corsini (1688-1772) worked in his native Bologna and also in Rome, where he made the figure of <i>Abundance</i> for the Trevi Fountain (1735). He worked in the style of late Baroque Classicism, and later in the Roccoco style. From his earlier work in Bologna little survives. He moved to Rome in the 1730s where he worked on decorative sculptures for various architectural sites.","physicalDescription":"In the centre are six figures dancing round the golden calf, which stands on a plinth behind. In the left foreground is a seated woman nursing a child. On the right Aaron points to the calf; behind him on the extreme right are a number of further figures. In the left background is Moses with the Tables of the Law. Signed below.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Corsini, Agostino","id":"A37144"},"association":{"text":"sculptor","id":"x43862"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"terracotta","id":"AAT10669"}],"techniques":[{"text":"relief","id":"AAT53622"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Relief in terracotta","categories":[{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Reliefs","id":"THES49035"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2019MD0837"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"SM006","id":"THES316647"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Relief","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Bologna","id":"x32618"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"or Rome"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1725-1770","earliest":"1725-01-01","latest":"1770-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Dr. W. L. Hildburgh, F. S. A.","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"71.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"without frame","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"54","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Given by Dr. W. L. Hildburgh, F. S. A., 1952.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Relief, terracotta, the Worship of the Golden Calf, by Agostino Corsini, Italy, ca. 1725-1770","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Pope-Hennessy, John. <u>Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Volume II: Text. Sixteenth to Twentieth Century</u>. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1964, p. 660, cat. no. 705"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Avery, Charles. <u>Fingerprints of the artist. European Terra-Cotta from the Artur M. Sackler Collection</u>. Exh. Cat, Washington, 1981, p. 120, cat. No. 45"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Aaron","id":"N552"},{"text":"Moses","id":"N636"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[{"text":"Worship of the Golden Calf","id":"V385"}],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"figures","id":"x31098"},{"text":"calf","id":"x44775"},{"text":"woman","id":"x35642"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"This undocumented relief illustrates the Old Testament scene of Moses discovering the Israelites worshipping the Golden Calf. Moses can be seen in the background descending from Mount Sinai and about to throw down the Tablets on which the Commandments were written.\r\nThe figures in the foreground appear to have been modelled separately in the clay and applied to the low-relief background before firing. The area around Bologna was a source of good quality clay and the city therefore became an important centre for terracotta sculpture. Corsini worked in his native Bologna and also in Rome, where he made the figure of <i>Abundance</i> for the Trevi Fountain (1735).","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["A.35-1952"],"accessionNumberNum":"35","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1952,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-01","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}