Skip to main content

Ceres in search of Proserpine: M.1-1970

An image of Figure

Terms of use

These images are provided for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons License (BY-NC-ND). To license a high resolution version, please contact our image library who will discuss fees, terms and waivers.

Download this image

Creative commons explained - what it means, how you can use our's and other people's content.

Alternative views

Object information

Current Location: In storage

Titles

Ceres in search of Proserpine

Maker(s)

Sculptor: Anguier, Michel

Entities

Categories

Description

Copper alloy, probably bronze, cast and chased, with dark lacquer. Ceres strides forward on her left leg with her right stretched out behind her. Her left hand holds her drape behind her, and in her right, she holds out a torch. A small dragon squirms between her feet, and on the square base there are integrally cast asphodel flowers.

Notes

History note: Prince Wiasemski Collection; Frédéric Spitzer Collection; His Sale, Paris, Paul Chevallier, 17 April 1893, 'Catalogue des objets d'art et de haute curiosité antiques, du Moyen-age et de la Renaissance', p. 247, lot 1464; J.E. Taylor Collection; His Sale, Christie's, Londonk, 1 July, 1912, lot 41; ? Donaldson Collection; Sir Ernest Cassel Collection; sold with his collection, known as the Brook House Collection, by his daughter Lady Louis Mountbatten, Puttick & Simpson, 25-27 May 1932, lot 739; ? Duke of Westminster; Gerald Kerin Ltd, from whom bought with the Cunliffe and Leverton Harris Funds, 1970.

Legal notes

Bought with the Cunliffe and Leverton Harris Funds.

Measurements and weight

Height: 54.2 cm
Width: 20.5 cm

Place(s) associated

  • Paris ⪼ France

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bought (1970-03-05) by Gerald Kerin Ltd

Dating

17th Century, second half#
Circa 1652 - Circa 1700

Note

From a set of Olympian gods and goddesses made orignally for the jeweller Tessier de Montarsis in 1652. A version of this bronze appears in the collection of the sculptor Girardon, which was engraved in about 1710. Other bronzes from the same set are in the Victoria and Albert Museum (Ceres, Neptune), and the Metropolitan Museum (Neptune). Anthony Radcliffe of the Victoria and Albert Museum considered that this might be Ceres which belonged to Girardon.

People, subjects and objects depicted

Project

  • Sculpture UK

Materials used in production

probably bronze Copper alloy
Bronze

Techniques used in production

Casting (process) : Copper alloy, probably bronze, cast, chased, and dark lacquer
Patinating
Chasing

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.1-1970
Primary reference Number: 13673
External ID: CAM_CCF_M_1_1970
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 18 December 2023 Last processed: Monday 18 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Ceres in search of Proserpine" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/13673 Accessed: 2024-11-21 18:41:36

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/13673 |title=Ceres in search of Proserpine |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-21 18:41:36|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:

https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-13673

Bootstrap HTML code for reuse

To use this as a simple code embed, copy this string:

<div class="text-center">
    <figure class="figure">
        <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/aa/aa19/M_1_1970.jpg"
        alt="Ceres in search of Proserpine"
        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Ceres in search of Proserpine</figcaption>
    </figure>
</div>
    

Sign up for updates

Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...