Bronze, coloured resin paste and semi-precious stones
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Henry Tate Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/edward-onslow-ford-191" aria-label="More by Edward Onslow Ford" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Edward Onslow Ford</a>
Singer
Presented by Sir Henry Tate 1894
actions: postures and motions
children
classical
clothing and personal items
Egypt
Egyptian
ethnicity
female
fine arts and music
girl
headdress
hieroglyphic text
history
inscriptions
instrument, harp
leisure and pastimes
Middle Eastern
music
music and entertainment
nationality
nudes
objects
people
singing
society
standing
symbols and personifications
<p><span>The Singer</span> describes a European fantasy of ancient Egypt. The trance-like pose expresses a myth of ancient societies more in touch with beauty and mysticism. Ford’s choice of an adolescent model also reflects intense contemporary debate about female sexuality. In 1885 the age of consent in Britain was raised from twelve to sixteen. This is Ford’s first Neo-Egyptian statuette. He incorporates imitation jewels and enamels, blurring the boundary between sculpture and the applied arts.</p><p><em>Gallery label, October 2020</em></p>
sculpture bronze coloured resin paste semi-precious stones
20 March 2009 – 17 October 2010
2010-10-17
20 March 2009 – 17 October 2010
2010-10-17
2009-03-20
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2009-03-20
New Sculpture
Collection based display
11 September 2014 – 24 May 2015
2015-05-24
11 September 2014 – 30 November 2014
2014-11-30
2014-09-11
Yale Center for British Art (New Haven, USA)
http://ycba.yale.edu/index.asp
2014-09-11
Victorian Sculpture
Loan-out
1 September 2022 – 1 April 2023
2023-04-01
1 September 2022 – 1 January 2023
2023-01-01
2022-09-01
Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts (Norwich, UK)
2022-09-01
Visions of Egypt
Loan-out
The Singer
object: 902 × 216 × 432 mm
Presented by <a href="/search?gid=999999962" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Sir Henry Tate</a> 1894
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<p>
<i>The Singer</i> describes a European fantasy of ancient Egypt. The trance-like pose expresses a myth of ancient societies more in touch with beauty and mysticism. Ford’s choice of an adolescent model also reflects intense contemporary debate about female sexuality. In 1885 the age of consent in Britain was raised from twelve to sixteen. This is Ford’s first Neo-Egyptian statuette. He incorporates imitation jewels and enamels, blurring the boundary between sculpture and the applied arts.</p>
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Display caption
2020-10-13T00:00:00
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DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N01753</b> THE SINGER <i>c.</i> 1889
<br/> 
<br/>Not inscribed.
<br/>Bronze, including base, 35 1/2×8 1/2×17 (90×22×43); the circlet set with turquoises and garnets and pedestal in the form of a lotus.
<br/>Tate Gift 1894 (in addition to his original gift).
<br/><i>Coll:</i> Probably acquired by Henry Tate in 1894 as it was not included in the catalogue of his collection published in that year.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> R.A., 1889 (2195).
<br/><i>Lit:</i> M. H. Spielmann, <i>British Sculpture and Sculptors of To-day</i>, 1901, p.56, repr. p.58.
<br/><i>Repr:</i> <i>Art Journal</i>, 1894, p.307.</p>
<p>The companion figure ‘Applause’ shows a crouching girl, also Egyptian, beating time with her hands, and was exhibited at the R.A. in 1893 (1828) with a quotation from the ancient Egyptian ‘Song of the Harpist of Thebes’.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, I
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-07-16T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
actions: postures and motions children classical clothing and personal items Egypt Egyptian ethnicity female fine arts and music girl headdress hieroglyphic text history inscriptions instrument, harp leisure and pastimes Middle Eastern music music and entertainment nationality nudes objects people singing society standing symbols and personifications