{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O70441"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70441/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT3545/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT3545/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AT3545","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2013GJ0384","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O70441","accessionNumber":"CIRC.592-1976","objectType":"Statuette","titles":[{"title":"Primavera","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"<i>Primavera</i> (Spring) is probably Louis Richard Garbe's (1876-1957) most ambitious work in ivory. It combines free-standing figures with low reliefs, pierced panels and architectural elements. \r\nBy the early 20th century the art of ivory-carving was held in low esteem. The <i>Studio</i> magazine in 1906 considered ivory suitable only for 'billiard balls, false teeth and cutlery'. Garbe was instrumental in reviving the use of the material for both decorative objects and independent sculptures. From around 1924 his ivory sculptures were regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy: <i>Primavera</i> being shown there in 1926. These works contributed to the gradual acceptance in establishment circles of direct carving and truth to materials, aims associated with the Modern Movement.\r\nGarbe taught at the Central School of Art, in London, between 1901 and 1929 and at the Royal College of Art from 1929 to 1946. His versatile style and technique were influential on many younger sculptors.","physicalDescription":"The elongated figure of Primavera, holding a bunch of flowers, is placed in a niche, flanked by a slim column on either side with the figure of a singer and a luteplayer respectively, surmounted by a pierced canopy with a frieze of naked boys. A crouching naked man in clouds is set at the top as a personification of the Sun. At the bottom are two reliefs with pastoral scenes. The right one shows a shepherd, a goat and a faun in a tree; the left one depicts a seated naked woman (presumably Primavera) and Zephyr. The part between the two reliefs is a hemispherical socle for the figure with the incised signature and date. The ensemble is completed by pierced and low-relief decoration of animals in foliate scrollwork and a gold-painted background.\n\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Garbe, Richard","id":"A6635"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ivory","id":"AAT11857"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved ivory, mounted on wood painted gold","categories":[{"text":"sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Images Online","id":"THES48937"},{"text":"Myths & Legends","id":"THES49005"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2006AT3545","2013GJ0384"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"21","id":"THES49848"},"free":"","case":"WS","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Statuette","id":""}],[{"text":"Panel","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1926","earliest":"1926-01-01","latest":"1926-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mr F. A. Palmer, on behalf of Arthur George Palmer","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"105","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"whole","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"39","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/11/2021","earliest":"2021-11-02","latest":"2021-11-02"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"12","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/11/2021","earliest":"2021-11-02","latest":"2021-11-02"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"[dimensions of historic case, outer, H127, W. 46, D. 18 cm]","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'RICHARD GARBE 1926'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Given by Mr F A Palmer, c/o Mr W.D. Park, Dorking, Surrey, on behalf of his deceased uncle Arthur George Palmer in 1976.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Panel, ivory, Primavera, by Louis Richard Garbe, England, 1926","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Williamson, Paul, ed. <font -u>European Sculpture at the Victoria and Albert Museum</font>. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996, p. 179"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Royal Academy Exhibitors 1905-1970</u>, III, East Ardsley, 1978, p. 126"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Trusted, Marjorie, <u>Baroque & Later Ivories</u>, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, cat. no. 199"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Flora","id":"N227"},{"text":"Zephyr","id":"N1546"},{"text":"Pan","id":"N156"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"flowers (plants)","id":"AAT132399"},{"text":"lutenists","id":"AAT235043"},{"text":"singer","id":"AAT25684"},{"text":"lutes","id":"AAT42101"},{"text":"suns","id":"x31103"},{"text":"shepherd","id":"AAT25617"},{"text":"animals","id":"x30274"},{"text":"scroll-work","id":"AAT10205"},{"text":"column","id":"AAT1571"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"spring","id":"AAT133097"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Garbe revived the art of carving ivory in Britain, and exhibited ivory sculptures at the Royal Academy from 1924 onwards. This monumental work shows Flora in the centre, clasping a bunch of flowers. At the top, in high relief, the  personification of the sun emerges from clouds, above a frieze of nude boys carrying flowers.","date":{"text":"March 2007","earliest":"2007-03-01","latest":"2007-03-31"}}],"partNumbers":["CIRC.592-1976"],"accessionNumberNum":"592","accessionNumberPrefix":"CIRC","accessionYear":1976,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2022NE2713"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-15","recordCreationDate":"2002-11-20","availableToBook":false}}