Pair of vases

Frederick Sonne|V. Wendrich|Bertel Thorvaldsen

ca. 1875 · Terracotta · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

These vases are decorated with scenes based on marble reliefs of 1825 by the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770–1844) that are on the facade of the Christiansborg Palace, Copenhagen. On .1, Minerva, goddess of wisdom, places a butterfly, image of the soul, upon the head of a man of clay formed by Prometheus; on .2, Nemesis, goddess of retributive justice, reads the records of a man's like to Jupiter, seated on his tribunal and holding a thunderbolt.

Artist

Frederick Sonne|V. Wendrich|Bertel Thorvaldsen

Date

ca. 1875

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

Danish, Copenhagen

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. B. V. Smith, 1969