{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O313450"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O313450/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O313450","accessionNumber":"A.6-1972","objectType":"Statuette ","titles":[{"title":"Queen Victoria on horseback","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The composition of this statuette (one of several extant versions) is derived from a similar equestrian group executed in marble by Thomas Thornycroft and his wife Mary, which was exhibited at the 1851 International Exhibition. The pose of the horse appears however to be taken from an engraving in the Illustrated London News of 2nd July 1853, commemorating Queen Victoria reviewing the troops at Chobham. The statuettes are therefore adaptions rather than straightforward reductions of the 1851 statue. Thornycroft later used this composition for a colossal bronze equestrian statue of Queen Victoria of 1869 to act as a pendant to that of Prince Albert, erected at Lims Street, St George's Plateau, Liverpool. \r\n\r\nThe present piece is one of around fifty which were commissioned by the Art Union of London to be distributed as annual prizes between 1854 and 1859.\n\nAfter an ill-suited apprenticeship as a surgeon, Thomas Thornycroft (1815-1885) was sent to London and apprenticed to the sculptor John Francis (1780-1861). His wife Mary was the daughter of John Francis. He made an over-life sized plaster equestrian statue of Queen Victoria for the Great Exhibition of 1851. His monumental equestrian statue of Boadicea and her daughters now stands on Westminster Bridge. He also made the marble group 'Commerce' for the base of the Albert Memorial in Hyde Park. \n\n","physicalDescription":"The statuette depicts Queen Victoria wearing a feathered hat, seated side-saddle on a horse with its right foreleg raised. Signed and dated.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Thornycroft, Thomas","id":"A33988"},"association":{"text":"sculptor","id":"x43862"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"bronze","id":"AAT10957"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Bronze","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Royalty","id":"THES48899"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES397657"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Statuette","id":"x45409"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1853","earliest":"1853-01-01","latest":"1853-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"55","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'T.THORNYcroft FECT/LONDON 1853'","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 base"}],"objectHistory":"Originally in the Handley-Read Collection. Bought from Thomas Stainton, Buckinghamshire in 1972 for £275.","historicalContext":"This statuette depicts Queen Victoria reviewing the troops at Chobham on 21st June 1853 and is one of about 50 commissioned by the Art Union of London for distributuion as annual prizes 1854-9. The model was completed in February 1854 when it was submitted for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's approval. The <u>Builder</u> stated that it 'elicted warm commendation' from the royal couple and went on to praise the work considering that the statuettes would 'form most covetable prizes' for subscribers.","briefDescription":"Statuette, bronze, Queen Victoria on horseback, by Thomas Thornycroft, English, 1853","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Jonathan Marsden, <u>European Sculpture in the Collection of His Majesty the King</u>, London, 2025, vol. I, p. 32."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Bilbey, Diane with Trusted, Marjorie. <u>British Sculpture 1470 to 2000. A Concise Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum</u>, London, Victoria and Albert Museum, 2002, p. 417, cat. no. 686"},{"reference":{"text":"Maas, Jeremy. <i>This Brilliant Year, Queen Victoria's Jubilee, 1887</i>, London : Royal Academy of Arts, 1977.","id":"AUTH351416"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Cooper, J. <u>Nineteenth Century Romantic Bronzez</u>, Newton Abbot, 1975, p. 64, no. 58"},{"reference":{"text":"Jervis, Simon, <i>Victorian and Edwardian decorative art: the Handley-Read collection</i>, London, Royal Academy of Arts, 1972","id":"AUTH351463"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Handley-Read, Lavinia, <i>British Sculpture: 1850-1914</i>, London: E.C. Freeman, 1968.","id":"AUTH347944"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Art Journal</u>, March 1854, p. 89, 197, 259"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Builder</u>, 11/02/1854, p. 77, 29/04/1854, p. 221"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u> Illustrated London News </u>, July 2nd 1853, pp. 544-5"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Victoria (Queen of Great Britain and Empress of India)","id":"N834"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"horse","id":"x30117"},{"text":"hat","id":"AAT46106"},{"text":"reins","id":"AAT1191"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["A.6-1972"],"accessionNumberNum":"6","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1972,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-29","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}