Lot 14
PLASTER CAST OF THE PARTHENON FRIEZE, JOHN HENNING (ENGLISH 1771-1851)
19TH CENTURY
Fine Furniture and Works of Art
Auction: 5 July 2017 at 11:00 BST
Description
the single panel with six frieze bands depicting classical figures in relief, mounted in a period carved wood frame
Dimensions
185cm long overall
Footnote
Provenance: The Lord and Lady Sutherland of Houndwood Collection
Note: The Parthenon frieze was famously brought to London by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s, and exhibited in his house on the corner of Park Lane and Piccadilly from 1808. It features Great Panathenaia, the festival in Athens in honour of the Goddess Athena, and is now on display to the public in the Acropolis Museum in the city. The Scottish sculptor, John Henning, was one of the first to see Elgin's collection and following his visit created models of both the Parthenon and Phigaleian friezes, using carved slate moulds. It took twelve years to complete the reliefs, many of which were signed, as well as numbered and labelled according to the original location of the friezes.