{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O313261"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O313261/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BE2523/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BE2523/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BE2523","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KX3829","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O313261/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O313261","accessionNumber":"A.114-1956","objectType":"Statuette","titles":[{"title":"Virgin with a Unicorn","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Little is known about this unusual bronze sculpture. A draped female figure holding a tablet sits on a rocky outcrop beside a basin; her right hand may once have held a stylus. To the right, water flows from a spring into the basin, and a unicorn bows its head towards the flow of water. Anthony Radcliffe (unpublished, undated note in V&A files) observed that the iconography of the unicorn purifying the spring may be an Este allegory; similar imagery appears on medals of Borso d'Este (e.g., one by Jacopo Lixignolo, dated 1460) and in his illuminated Bible (Biblioteca Estense, Modena). Lukatis (2010) observed a connection between the present object and a drawing (Graphischen Sammlung der Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel, inv. 17151) that depicts a woman, basin, and unicorn similarly disposed. The sheet is assigned to an unknown Italian draughtsman of the sixteenth century. (Last updated March 2025)\r\n\r\n","physicalDescription":"Statuette of a seated woman, partially draped, turned to her left. In her left hand the holds a tablet. To the left of her feet is a basin, and on the other side a unicorn stands, its head bowed towards the basin. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"bronze","id":"AAT10957"}],"techniques":[{"text":"casting","id":"AAT53104"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Cast bronze","categories":[{"text":"Bronze","id":"THES49033"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2006BE2523","2018KX3829"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"SHLN","id":"THES49063"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Statuette","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"North"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1500 - ca. 1550","earliest":"1495-01-01","latest":"1554-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Dr. W. L. Hildburgh","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"21.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"35","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"19.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Given by Dr. W. L. Hildburgh, F. S. A., 1956.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Statuette, bronze, Virgin with a Unicorn, North Italian, first half of 16th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Lukatis, Christiane. Dem künstlerischen Genius auf der Spur: italienische Zeichnungen aus der Graphischen Sammlung der Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel. Petersberg: Michael Imhof Verlag, 2010.","id":"AUTH407528"},"details":"pp. 64-65, cat. 19","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"unicorn","id":"x30658"},{"text":"virgin","id":"AAT188706"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["A.114-1956"],"accessionNumberNum":"114","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1956,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-03","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":false}}