Figurine - Victoria/Nike

Art

Historic Hudson Valley

Name/Title

Entry/Object ID

VC.64.107

Description

This porcelain figurine depicts the ancient Greek goddess Nike, who heralded victory by blowing into her trumpet (absent from the piece). Such tidings were appropriate for the figurine's owner, Cornelia Van Cortlandt Beekman (1753-1847). The daughter of Pierre Van Cortlandt, Cornelia successfully defended her family's possessions and properties from Tory and Patriot raiding parties throughout the American Revolution. After the War, Cornelia and her husband Gerard even purchased Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow, after it had been seized by American authorities when the Loyalist Philipse family fled to England. Figurine, probably of Victoria: Full-length figure, leaning forward as if in flight, right leg to rear, supported by blue-tinted cloud-like portion of base; long garment, white, with sprigs of red and aqua flowers with purplish leaves and gold centers, purplish-pink lining, gold-touched; right breast exposed; wadded greyish-black hair with gold trimmed white fillet; winged; mouth has small open round hole in center (site of trumpet); left arm raised and crooked; right arm extended gracefully from side; unshod feet; base-rococo shell-like swirls, touched with gold, apple green, aqua.

Artwork Details

Medium

Porcelain (hard-paste)

Collection

Van Cortlandt Manor Object Collection

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Unknown

Attribution

Maker

Date made

circa 1760

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Inscription

Transcription

Possible incised mark on side "D" Due to mark "D", date could be 1743-1748.

Other Names and Numbers

Other Number

PM.60.5

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Overall

Height

12-1/2 in

Width

6 in

Depth

7 in

Dimension Notes

Display Dimensions: 12 1/2 x 6 x 7 in. (31.8 x 15.2 x 17.8 cm)

Condition

Notes

Remarks: Details of condition: Left wing missing; trumpet or horn missing.

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Cornelia Van Cortlandt Beekman

Notes

Former owner

General Notes

Note Type

Curatorial Remarks

Note

Miscellaneous: Although this figurine has been referred to as "Psyche," the absent horn or trumpet which it probably originally bore points toward "Victoria", the deified personification of victory.

Note Type

General Note

Note

According to PAMPH 974.727726 PF 1959 S: "Acquired by trade with the Historical Society of the Tarrytowns."

Note Type

StorageNote

Note

Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Van Cortlandt Manor, Dining Room