{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O69604"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O69604/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NR2209/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NR2209/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2023NR2209","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AV2388","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O69604/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O69604","accessionNumber":"A.7-1972","objectType":"Roundel","titles":[{"title":"Behind the Rider sits dark care","type":"generic title"},{"title":"Post Equitem sedet atra cura","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"In his evocation of ancient chivalry and fears of mortality, Gilbert drew on Dürer's engravings and other Renaissance memento mori imagery. He often experimented with materials and surfaces. This work is an alloy that was similar to bronze but acquired a red patination pickling solutions were applied after casting.\n\nThe piece is called 'Post Equitem Sedet Atra Cura' (Behind the Rider sits Dark Care), and was made in 1899. \n\nSir Alfred Gilbert (1854-1934) was a famous British sculptor of the late 19th century. He was also medallist, goldsmith and draughtsman. He was known for his inventiveness and characteristically used many different materials in the same work. He epitomised the movement known as the “New Sculpture”, with a new focus on naturalistic forms. His many commissions included for example the celebrated figure of Eros, part of the Shaftsbury memorial.","physicalDescription":"Bronze relief. A knight and shrouded winged figure (Care) are seated on a rearing horse. Ahead of them is a semi-nude female figure holding a bag of gold aloft in her right hand; above is a hooded winged figure holding a flaming torch . Beneath the horse's rear hooves are an owl and a skull. A label fixed to the reverse is inscribed in ink.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Gilbert, Alfred (Sir)","id":"A8429"},"association":{"text":"sculptor","id":"x43862"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"bronze","id":"AAT10957"}],"techniques":[{"text":"cast","id":"x32615"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Bronze, cast","categories":[{"text":"Images Online","id":"THES48937"},{"text":"Reliefs","id":"THES49035"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2023NR2209","2006AV2388"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"21A","id":"THES49844"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Roundel","id":""}],[{"text":"Relief","id":"AAT53622"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1899","earliest":"1899-01-01","latest":"1899-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"41.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'July 1966/ from David Peel/ Mount St Lon/ £300'","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 a label fixed to the reverse inscribed in ink"}],"objectHistory":"Previously owned by Robert Dunthorne (Rembrandt Gallery, Vigo Street, London), who had purchased the roundel from the sculptor in May 1899. David Peel, Mount Street, London; Handley-Read Collection (probably purchased from David Peel in 1966 for £300). Purchased from Thomas Stainton, Madeley Penn Road, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire in 1972 for £605.","historicalContext":"The polychromy of the piece was achieved by casting the medallion in an alloy of lead, copper and gold: a red patination being obtained by the application of various pickling solutions. The title of the piece is from Horace, but the composition of the piece is derived from a number of Renaissance sources, notably Durer's <u>Knight, Death and the Devil</u>, Donatello's <u>Gattamelata</u> and Verrocchio's <u>Colleoni Monument</u>. The original model dates from shortly after Gilbert's visit to Venice in 1883, but this bronze, along with another version in the Royal Scottish Academy, was cast in March 1899, perhaps commissioned by Robert Dunthorne.","briefDescription":"Roundel, relief, bronze, 'Post Equitem Sedet Atra Cura' (Behind the Rider sits Dark Care), by Alfred Gilbert, England, 1899","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Victorian High Renaissance</u>, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 1978, pp. 176-7"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Dorment, Richard, <u>Alfred Gilbert</u>, London, 1985, p. 53 and fig. 24"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>From Vittoria to Dalou: An exhibition of European works of Art</u>, David Peel, London, April-May 1967, cat. no. 22"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Victorian and Edwardian Decorative Art: The Handley-Read Collection</u>, Royal Academy, London, 1972, cat. no. F22"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Alfred Gilbert: Sculptor and Goldsmith</u>, Royal Academy, London, 1986, cat. no. 89"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>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, 2002, p. 281, cat. no. 430"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Handley Read, L.H-R., ‘Alfred Gilbert: a new assessment, part I: the small sculptures’, in: <u>Connoisseur</u>, CLXIX, September 1968, p. 25 and illus."}],"production":"Post Equitem sedet atra cura (Behind the rider sits dark care) by Alfred Gilbert, bronze, Britain, 1899.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"knight","id":"x31796"},{"text":"female figure","id":"x43298"},{"text":"torch","id":"x43466"},{"text":"owl","id":"x30399"},{"text":"skull","id":"AAT191856"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Alfred Gilbert (1854–1934)\r\n<i>‘Post equitem sedet atra cura’\r\n(Behind the rider sits dark care)</i>\r\n1899\n\r\nThe title of this sculpture is taken from a line by Horace, the ancient Roman poet. A knight rides in pursuit of Fortune with ‘Dark Care’ (anxiety) sat behind him. Above, Truth fails to restrain him. The skull at the horse’s hooves represents the fate that awaits the knight. When he created this roundel, Gilbert had run into debt which eventually led to bankruptcy and disgrace in 1901.\n\r\nEngland\r\nLead, copper and gold alloy","date":{"text":"2021","earliest":"2021-01-01","latest":"2021-12-31"}},{"text":"In his evocation of ancient chivalry and fears of mortality, Gilbert drew on Albrecht Dürer's engravings and other Renaissance <i>memento mori</i> imagery. He often experimented with materials and surfaces. This work is made of an alloy that was similar to bronze but acquired a red patination when certain pickling solutions were applied after casting. ","date":{"text":"13/10/2021","earliest":"2021-10-13","latest":"2021-10-13"}}],"partNumbers":["A.7-1972"],"accessionNumberNum":"7","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1972,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-19","recordCreationDate":"2002-11-08","availableToBook":false}}