“The Triumph of Silenus” (1885),” by Alfred Drury

[Victorian Web Home —> Visual Arts —> Sculpture —> Alfred Drury —> Next]

The Triumph of Silenus

Alfred Drury, R.A., 1856-1944

1885

Terra Cotta

Source: Source: Baldry 211.

“Towards the end . . . of his stay in Paris, he found time to execute at least one piece of work to show in what manner he had proﬁted” by his chances. He sent to the Academy in 1885 a terra-cotta group, half life size, representing “The Triumph of Silenus," which he had modelled in the previous year. It was interesting not only as an example of his judicious adaptation of those principles of free and ﬂorid design which he had seen so well applied in the productions of M. Dalou, but also as an illustration of his ingenuity in overcoming the special difﬁculties inseparable from the handling of the material employed.” (commentary continued below)

[You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the The Hathi Digital Library Trust and the University of Chicago Library and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one. — George P. Landow.]

Commentary by A. L. Baldry

Technically it was of excellent quality, rich and ample in its forms, and treated with a certain redundancy of detail that was well suited to so animated and joyous a motive. That it had a character deﬁnitely French can hardly be wondered at; it would, indeed, have been surprising if the young artist, after so long an association with one of the ablest and most persuasive exponents of the French point of view in sculpture, should not have acquired something of the taste and feeling” by which the work that he saw in progress about him was inspired. Since his return to England Mr. Drnry has been going through a steady process of evolution. He has found a way for himself, and has modiﬁed the methods of his student days so as to allow full scope to his individuality. [213-14]

Bibliography

Baldry, A. Lys. “Our Rising Artists: Alfred Drury, Sculptor.” The Magazine of Art. 24 (1900): 211-17. The Hathi Digital Library Trust digitized from a copy in the University of Chicago Library. 17 January 2018.

Last modified 17 January 2018