{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O73076"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O73076/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM6498/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM6498/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM6498","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O73076/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O73076","accessionNumber":"REPRO.1892-103","objectType":"Hand","titles":[{"title":"Right hand of Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (1805-1881)","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This plaster cast is of the right hand of Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield. Boehm also executed the monument to Disraeli in London's Westminster Abbey, 1881-1883. A series of casts of hands, including the present piece, was acquired by the Museum in 1892 from the executors of the late Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm's estate.\n\nDisraeli (1804-1881) was an English novelist, politician and Prime Minister (from 1874 to 1880) and is recognised primarily for achievements in imperial and foreign affairs, especially with the 1878 conflict between Russia and Turkey relating the Bulgarians. This lead to the Congress of Berlin summoned by Prince Bismarck, where then a settlement was reached - largely due to Disraeli - to give the Bulgarians a qualified independence.\n\nBoehm (1834-1890) was an English sculptor and medallist born in Austrian, as the youngest son of Joseph Daniel Boehm (1794–1865), a court medallist and director of the Imperial Mint at Vienna. From 1848 to 1851 Joseph Edgar attended Leigh’s art academy (later Heatherley’s) in London and drew the Parthenon marbles in the British Museum. On his return to Vienna he enrolled at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste. Around 1858–9 he visited Italy, where he developed a lasting admiration for early Renaissance sculpture. From 1859 to 1862 he worked in Paris and was influenced by the work of Paul Gayrard (1807–1855). Boehm settled in London in 1862 where he befriended John Leech and John Everett Millais, both of whom he portrayed in statuettes in 1863. A statuette of William Makepeace Thackeray (1864) led to an edition of 70 plaster casts. Boehm frequently worked in terracotta, a material common in French sculpture but less familiar in English. Queen Victoria’s admiration of Boehm’s statuettes led to an association with the royal family that lasted from 1869 until his death. Most of Boehm’s works are portrait busts. Boehm was immensely prolific: some 360 different works are documented. He was a highly consistent sculptor, rarely deviating from his brand of realism. He was modest about his immense popularity and aware of his imaginative shortcomings (cit.: M. Stocker: 'Boehm, Joseph Edgar').","physicalDescription":"Right hand, plaster.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Boehm, Joseph Edgar (Sir)","id":"A6882"},"association":{"text":"sculptor","id":"AAT25181"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"plaster","id":"AAT14922"}],"techniques":[{"text":"casting","id":"AAT53104"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Plaster cast","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2006AM6498"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES396099"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Hand","id":""}],[{"text":"Model","id":"AAT247279"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1881 - ca. 1883","earliest":"1876-01-01","latest":"1887-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the executors of the artist","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"22","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"12","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"0.82","unit":"kg","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Given by the Executors of the late Sir J.E. Boehm in 1892.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Model, plaster cast, right hand of Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, by Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, ca. 1881-3","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Bilbey, Diane and Trusted, Marjorie, British Sculpture 1470-2000: A Concise Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: V&A Publications, 2002","id":"AUTH401363"},"details":"p. 220, cat.no. 335","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Stocker, M., Royalist and Realist: The Life and Work of Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm. New York and London: Garland Publishing, 1988.","id":"AUTH403171"},"details":"pp. 208-9, p. 412, no. 227","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>List of Reproductions in Electrotype and Plaster acquired by the South Kensington Museum in the Year 1892</u>, London, 1892, p. 14"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"hand","id":"x31539"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["REPRO.1892-103"],"accessionNumberNum":"103","accessionNumberPrefix":"REPRO","accessionYear":1892,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-18","recordCreationDate":"2003-01-15","availableToBook":true}}