Albert Memorial
Entry ID
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70 (19/01/2022)
Formal title of the work
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Albert Memorial
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Albert Memorial (Group Africa)
Description of the sculpture
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A sketch model of the Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens, London. The continent of Africa is represented beside the lower base of the model and depicts a central figure astride a lion with two accompanying figures on either side. Seated at the front, a figure, wearing an Ancient Egyptian headdress and beard, leans on his right arm while looking down in contemplation. The figure at the back, leaning on an over-turned water vessel, may represent the River Nile.
URLs where this is recorded/available
Type of object
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Statuette
Base
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Base present - appears to be the original base
Dimensions
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Height (total): 203.2 cm
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Width (total): 71.2 cm
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Depth (total): 71.2 cm
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Height (of Group Africa only): 15 cm
Materials
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Plaster
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Papier-mâché
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Paint / pigment
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Metal (unidentified)
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Gold
Specific techniques used
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Modelling
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Polychromy
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Gilding
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Casting
Overall colour
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Polychrome
Inscriptions
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Left side of Prince Albert's throne: 'Armstead Sculpt.'
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On the four paper mosaics representing the arts of Poetry, Painting, Sculpture and Architecture: 'POESIS' [and] 'PICTURA' [and] 'SCULPTURA' [and] 'ARCHITECTURA'
Does the Black person have a specific identity?
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Identifiable: allegorical figure
Attributes
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Lion
Role within sculpture
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Minor role
Gender
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Female
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Male
Age
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Adult
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Adolescent
Status
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Uncertain
Clothing
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Wearing clothes – ‘exotic’ clothing
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Other
Evidence of enslavement
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None
Evidence of 'exotic' status
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‘Exotic’ costume/dress
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‘Exotic’ animals or bird companions
Action or activity
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Standing
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Sitting
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Lying down
Emotional state
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Indeterminate
Focus of gaze of Black person
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Unfocussed/blank eyeballs
Sculptural context
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Indeterminate
Place of production
Period of production
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Nineteenth century (1800-1899)
Date of Production
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c. 1863
Date inferred from
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Recorded in related documentation
Original purpose
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Competition Model / Trial piece
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Commemorative
Original display setting
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Unknown
Current owner
Current / most recently known location
Accession number
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A.13:1 to 9-1973
Provenance history
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Given by Sir George Gilbert Scott
Current rights holder
License terms for reuse
http://13.41.147.145/s/database/item/591, ., http://13.41.147.145/s/database/item/592, ., http://13.41.147.145/s/database/item/593, . and http://13.41.147.145/s/database/item/594, . (no date) ‘Albert Memorial’, Black People in European Sculpture, accessed May 31, 2025, http://13.41.147.145/s/database/item/595
