{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O72776"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O72776/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM6679/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM6679/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM6679","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O72776/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O72776","accessionNumber":"304-1876","objectType":"Statue","titles":[{"title":"Engineer's blacksmith","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The blacksmith is an enduring image of strength and humility: a working man devoted to a skilled yet humble trade. He is the sculptor as artisan. At the time the Museum acquired this relief, Felix Martin Miller (1843-1923) taught modelling in London at the National Art School, South Kensington. He exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London between 1842 and 1880, and at the British Institution between 1847 and 1866. The leading mid-Victorian sculptor John Henry Foley thought so well of Miller that he commissioned more than one of Miller's works in marble. Miller was active between 1842 and 1880. Mentioned in the obituary of the sculptor Henry Foley in the 'Art Journal' of 1874, Miller was described as 'one of the few sculptors whose genius is manifest and who has produced works, chiefly bas-reliefs, that are unsurpassed by any production of their class in modern Art: Foley thought so well of Miller that he commissioned more than one of his works in marble: indeed the great artist was the principal patron of his struggling brother-artist'. ","physicalDescription":"Standing figure of an enginer's blacksmith, with hammer uplifted over his right shoulder.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Miller, Felix Martin","id":"A6906"},"association":{"text":"sculptor","id":"AAT25181"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"plaster","id":"AAT14922"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Tinted plaster","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2006AM6679"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"D","id":"THES397248"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"statue","id":"AAT47600"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1866","earliest":"1866-01-01","latest":"1866-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the artist","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"103","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'F.M. MILLER/SC'","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 at the back"}],"objectHistory":"Given by the sculptor in 1876.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Statue, tinted plaster, Engineer's blacksmith, by Felix Martin Miller, England, 1866","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<font -u>List of Objects in the Art Division, South Kensington, Acquired During the Year 1876, Arranged According to the Dates of Acquisition.</font> London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., p. 26"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Bilbey, Diane and Trusted Marjorie. <font -u>British Sculpture 1470 to 2000. A Concise Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum</font>, London, 2002, p. 339, cat. no. 512"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"blacksmith","id":"AAT25313"},{"text":"hammer","id":"AAT24823"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["304-1876"],"accessionNumberNum":"304","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1876,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-10-08","recordCreationDate":"2003-01-09","availableToBook":true}}