{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O349369"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O349369/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017KC6904/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017KC6904/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017KC6904","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC6905","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC6924","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC6935","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC6939","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC6941","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O349369/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O349369","accessionNumber":"A.145-1910","objectType":"Group","titles":[{"title":"The Rape of a Sabine Woman","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Born in The Hague, Adriaen de Vries honed his skills as a bronze sculptor in Florentine workshop of Giambologna. Giambologna was sculptor to the Medici Grand Dukes of Tuscany. This is possibly the statuette documented as having been cast for de Vries by Domenico Portigiani, a Dominican monk who set up a foundry to cast works by Giambologna.\n\nThis violent scene depicts an episode said to have happened during the foundation of Rome in the 8th century BC. The Roman historian Livy later described it in The History of Rome (Book 1, chapters 9–13). Written in the 1st century BC, this is the best-known retelling of the episode. Since then, many European artists, particularly in the Renaissance and Baroque periods (1500s–1700s), have depicted the incident, drawing on its dramatic and sexual aspects. \n\r\nAccording to legend, relatively few women lived in Rome in its earliest days. Negotiations to secure marriages with women from neighbouring populations had failed, putting the future of the city in doubt. In response, Romulus, the founder and first king of Rome, planned a mass abduction of women. He invited Rome’s neighbours, including the Sabines, to celebrate the festival of Neptune. As it was a religious event, the guests did not bring weapons. When Romulus gave the signal, Roman men abducted many of the attending Sabine women. They were forcibly taken as wives to bear children and thereby ensure the city of Rome would live on.  \n\r\nThe term ‘rape’ originally comes from the Latin word ‘raptio’, meaning ‘abduction’ or ‘kidnapping’, an act of violence, but not necessarily of a sexual nature. In the case of the Sabine women, however, the abduction did lead to sexual violence. (Last updated May 2025)\r\n","physicalDescription":"The Roman strides forward on his left foot, grasping the woman with both hands; her right hand is outstreched, her left presses on his forehead. Her body rests on a low triangular support covered with a small cloth. Both figures are naked. Smooth dark patina. On a revolving circular stand of dark wood.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Vries, Adriaen de","id":"A6603"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":"Possibly cast by Domenico Portigiani (1536-1602)"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"bronze","id":"AAT10957"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Bronze","categories":[{"text":"Myths & Legends","id":"THES49005"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2017KC6904","2017KC6905","2017KC6924","2017KC6935","2017KC6939","2017KC6941"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"117","id":"THES49906"},"free":"","case":"6","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Group","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Florence","id":"x28848"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1585","earliest":"1585-01-01","latest":"1585-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"about"}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"46","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"From the Salting bequest.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Group, bronze, The Rape of a Sabine Woman, by Adriaen de Vries, Italy, Florence, about 1585","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"'Salting Bequest (A. 70 to A. 1029-1910) / Murray Bequest (A. 1030 to A. 1096-1910)'. In: <u>List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum (Department of Architecture and Sculpture)</u>. London: Printed under the Authority of his Majesty's Stationery Office, by Eyre and Spottiswoode, Limited, East Harding Street, EC, p. 13"},{"reference":{"text":"<i>Catalogue of the Italian art loan exhibition : held in the Corporation Galleries, Glasgow, 1882-83</i>, Glasgow : Robert Anderson, 1882","id":"AUTH357650"},"details":"468","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[{"text":"The Rape of the Sabines","id":"V675"}],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["A.145-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"145","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-09-18","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":false}}