Frogabilia

Description

Slade 1950s Penelope Ellis Minerva Plaster Head Sculpture after the Antique
ELLIS Penelope b. 1935 d. 2016
Sculptor born in London. She studied at the Slade School of Fine Art, 1953-56, and was awarded a British Institute in Paris Scholarship, 1956-57, to continue her studies in art.
Penelope was the eldest daughter of Rosemary and Clifford Ellis, who was the first Principal of Bath Academy of Art at Corsham Court. During that time the family lived at Corsham Court and were a significant part of its history and community.

The piece is not signed but came directly from the artists personal collection.
It is entitled "Minerva" after the Roman Goddess Sculpture Head found at the Roman Baths in Bath.
"The gilt bronze head of the goddess Sulis Minerva is one of the best known objects from Roman Britain. Its discovery in 1727 was an early indication that the Roman site at Bath was not a typical settlement. Gilt bronze sculptures are rare finds from Roman Britain as only two other fragments are known".

The head is probably from the cult statue of the goddess which would have stood within her Temple beside the Sacred Spring. From there she may have looked out across the Temple courtyard to the site of the great altar, the site of sacrifice, which stood at the heart of that sacred space. The statue may well be an original object from the foundation of the site in the later first century AD, which means that it was probably well over 300 years old when it met its demise.
Made out of plaster and stained in a golden ochre colour.
I believe this is a work that the artist did during her formative years at the Slade School of Fine art, London as her later work was abstract sculpture & installations.