{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O78406"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78406/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GV9273/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GV9273/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014GV9273","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NJ7632","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O78406","accessionNumber":"LOAN:THORVALDSENS.2","objectType":"Roundel","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>This marble roundel is one of a pair (the other, depicting 'Day', is also on display). Thorvaldsen first executed the models for these in 1815, and made marble versions two years later for Richard Bingham, 2nd Earl of Lucan (1764-1839). The first to be modelled, 'Night', was apparently produced  one summer morning, when the sculptor was emerging from an unproductive period of his life; 'Day' was completed very soon afterwards. Many copies were made by his workshop over the years. The present pair were carved in 1842 for the Royal Danish Agent A. C. Becker (1782-1855) in Paris. Each one took  a fortnight or three weeks to carve. Marble and plaster versions of these compositions were highly popular at the time, and were used in particular to decorate interiors of British country houses in the early 19th century.<br><br><b>People</b><br>Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844) was the most highly regarded sculptor of his day after Antonio Canova. Born in Denmark, he spent most of his working life in Rome. He specialised in idealised subjects, and his treatment of marble deliberately recalled ancient Greek prototypes. He had an international range of patrons, but was especially favoured by the British, undertaking many portrait busts of British sitters while they were visiting Rome.<br><br><b>Places</b><br>Although this relief was executed by Thorvaldsen  in Rome, it was made for a patron in Paris. It descended through the patron's family, before being acquired in 1965 by the Thorvaldsens Museum Copenhagen. It is presently on long-term loan to the V&A.","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Thorvaldsen, Bertel","id":"A8917"},"association":{"text":"carver","id":"AAT25256"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Marble","categories":[],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2014GV9273","2023NJ7632"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"119","id":"THES49227"},"free":"","case":"WS","shelf":"","box":"5"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Relief night","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Rome","id":"x29106"},"association":{"text":"carved","id":"AAT53149"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1842","earliest":"1842-01-01","latest":"1842-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Lent by the Thorvaldsens Museum, Copenhagen","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"78.74","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Carved in Rome by Bertel Thorvaldsen (born in Copenhagen, 1768 or 1770, died there in 1844)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Night with her daughters Sleep and Death","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"Link to Bertel Thorvaldsen’s Art and Collections","free":"  https://kataloget.thorvaldsensmuseum.dk/en/A905"}],"production":"from a model of 1815","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nBertel Thorvaldsen was known for his severe Grecian style. In these two reliefs, however, his style was much closer to the gentle lyricism of the Italian sculptor Antonio Canova (1757-1822). Pairs of plaques such as these suited the decoration of symmetrical Neo-classical interiors, and plaster versions of them were installed in numerous British houses in the early 19th century. This plaque is a pair to the one shown opposite.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["LOAN:THORVALDSENS.2"],"accessionNumberNum":"2","accessionNumberPrefix":"LOAN:THORVALDSENS","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LP1574","2019LU3017"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-25","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-27","availableToBook":false}}