Frieze of Parnassus


The Frieze of Parnassus is a large sculpted stone frieze encircling the podium, or base, of the Albert Memorial in London, England. The Albert Memorial was constructed in the 1860s in memory of Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria.
The frieze is named after Mount Parnassus, the favorite resting place in Ancient Greek mythology for the muses. It contains 169 life-size full-length sculptures, a mixture of low-relief and high-relief, of individual composers, architects, poets, painters, and sculptors from history. The depictions of earlier figures necessarily, were imaginary, although many of the figures were based on materials contained in a collection of artworks and drawings gathered for the purpose of ensuring authentic depictions, where this was possible.
The total length of the frieze is approximately 64 metres. The frieze was intended to be the 'soul' of the memorial, and the memorial's designer, George Gilbert Scott, stated that he was inspired by the Hémicycle des Beaux Arts by Paul Delaroche. The memorial was not laid out precisely to directions of the compass, however, closely enough that the sides are referred to by direction. Musicians and poets were placed on the south side, with painters on the east side, sculptors on the west side, and architects on the north side.
Henry Hugh Armstead carved the figures on the south and east sides, the painters, musicians, and poets, and grouped them by national schools. John Birnie Philip carved the figures on the west and north sides, the sculptors and architects, and arranged them in chronological order.
The carving was executed in situ, and was said by Scott to be "perhaps one of the most laborious works of sculpture ever undertaken". The initial contracts, agreed around 1864, had specified that the work was to be completed in four years for £7,781 15s. The eventual cost, however, exceeded this by some £2,000 and the work was not finished until 1872.
Large groups of figures of eminent persons from the past often decorate public buildings and monuments of the later nineteenth century, and some buildings such as the Walhalla temple in Bavaria and the Panthéon in Paris were dedicated to this purpose. Many figures of visual artists decorate the Victoria and Albert Museum close to the Albert Memorial at the other end of the "Albertopolis" complex. A mosaic frieze of more generalised figures from the arts runs round the circular Royal Albert Hall adjacent to the memorial. The Parnassus by Raphael, opposite the philosophers of The School of Athens in the Vatican Raphael Rooms, is an earlier group portrait of great artists.

List of figures

SideGroupInscriptionOfficial historyIdentificationNotes
SouthMusiciansAUBERD. E. F. AuberDaniel Auber
SouthMusiciansMEHULE. H. MehulÉtienne Méhul
SouthMusiciansRAMEAUJ. P. RameauJean-Philippe Rameau
SouthMusiciansLULLIJ. B. LulliJean-Baptiste Lully
SouthMusiciansGRETRYA. E. M. GretryAndré Ernest Modeste Grétry
SouthMusiciansJOSQUIN-DES-PRESJasquin Des PresJosquin des Prez
SouthMusiciansROSSINIG. RossiniGioachino Rossini
SouthMusiciansMONTEVERDEC. MonteverdeClaudio Monteverdi
SouthMusiciansCARISSIMIG. CarissimiGiacomo Carissimi
SouthMusiciansPALESTRINAG. P. A. de PalestrinaGiovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
SouthMusiciansGUIDO D'AREZZOGuidoGuido of Arezzo
SouthMusiciansST AMBROSESt AmbroseAmbrose
SouthPoetsCORNEILLEP. CorneillePierre Corneille
SouthPoetsMOLIEREMolièreMolière
SouthPoetsCERVANTESCervantesMiguel de Cervantes
SouthPoetsVIRGILVirgilVirgil
SouthPoetsDANTEDanteDante Alighieri
SouthPoetsPYTHAGORASPythagorasPythagoras
SouthPoetsHOMERHomerHomer
SouthPoetsCHAUCERG. ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer
SouthPoetsSHAKESPEAREW. ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare
SouthPoetsMILTONJ. MiltonJohn Milton
SouthPoetsGOETHEGoetheJohann Wolfgang von Goethe
SouthPoetsSCHILLERSchillerFriedrich Schiller
SouthMusiciansBACHBachJohann Sebastian Bach
SouthMusiciansGLUCKGluckChristoph Willibald Gluck
SouthMusiciansHANDELHandelGeorge Frideric Handel
SouthMusiciansMOZARTMozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart
SouthMusiciansMENDELSSOHNMendelssohnFelix Mendelssohn
SouthMusiciansHAYDNHaydnJoseph Haydn
SouthMusiciansWEBERWeberCarl Maria von Weber
SouthMusiciansBEETHOVENBeethovenLudwig van Beethoven
SouthMusiciansTALLIST. TallisThomas Tallis
SouthMusiciansO. GIBBONSO. GibbonsOrlando Gibbons
SouthMusiciansLAWESH. LawesHenry Lawes
SouthMusiciansPURCELLH. PurcellHenry Purcell
SouthMusiciansARNET. A. ArneThomas Arne
SouthMusiciansBOYCEW. BoyceWilliam Boyce
SouthMusiciansBISHOPSir H. R. BishopHenry Bishop
EastPaintersTURNERJ. M. W. TurnerJ. M. W. Turner
EastPaintersWILKIESir D. WilkieDavid Wilkie
EastPaintersREYNOLDSS. J. ReynoldsJoshua Reynolds
EastPaintersGAINSBOROUGHT. GainsboroughThomas Gainsborough
EastPaintersHOGARTHW. HogarthWilliam Hogarth
EastPaintersREMBRANDTRembrandtRembrandt
EastPaintersRUBENSRubensPeter Paul Rubens
EastPaintersHOLBEINHolbeinHans Holbein the Younger
EastPaintersDURERDurerAlbrecht Dürer
EastPaintersH. VAN EYCKH. and J. Van EyckHubert van Eyck
EastPaintersJ. VAN EYCKH. and J. Van EyckJan van Eyck
EastPaintersSTEPHEN OF COLOGNES. LocknerStefan Lochner
EastPaintersCIMABUECimabueCimabue
EastPaintersORCAGNAOrcagnaOrcagna
EastPaintersGIOTTOGiottoGiotto di Bondone
EastPaintersFRA ANGELICOFra AngelicoFra Angelico
EastPaintersGHIRLANDAJOGhirlandajoDomenico Ghirlandaio
EastPaintersMASACCIOMasaccioMasaccio
EastPaintersL. DA VINCIL. Da VinciLeonardo da Vinci
EastPaintersRAPHAELRaphaelRaphael
EastPaintersMICHAEL ANGELOM. AngeloMichelangelo
EastPaintersBELLINIBelliniGiovanni Bellini
EastPaintersTITIANTitianTitian
EastPaintersMANTEGNAMantegnaAndrea Mantegna
EastPaintersP. VERONESEP. VeronesePaolo Veronese
EastPaintersTINTORETTOTintorettoTintoretto
EastPaintersCOREGGIOCoreggioAntonio da Correggio
EastPaintersAN. CARACCIA. CaracciAnnibale Carracci
EastPaintersL. CARACCIL. CarraciLudovico Carracci
EastPaintersVELASQUEZVelasquezDiego Velázquez
EastPaintersMURILLOMurilloBartolomé Esteban Murillo
EastPaintersPOUSSINPoussinNicolas Poussin
EastPaintersCLAUDEClaudeClaude Lorrain
EastPaintersDAVIDJ. L. DavidJacques-Louis David
EastPaintersGERARDGerardFrançois Gérard
EastPaintersGERICAULTGerecaultThéodore Géricault
EastPaintersDELACROIXDelacroixEugène Delacroix
EastPaintersVERNETVernetClaude Joseph Vernet
EastPaintersDELAROCHEDelarocheHippolyte Delaroche
EastPaintersINGRESIngresJean Auguste Dominique Ingres
EastPaintersDECAMPSDecampsAlexandre-Gabriel Decamps
NorthArchitectsPUGINPuginAugustus Welby Northmore Pugin
NorthArchitectsSCOTTScottGeorge Gilbert Scott
NorthArchitectsCOCKERELLCockerellSamuel Pepys Cockerell
NorthArchitectsBARRYBarryCharles Barry
NorthArchitectsCHAMBERSChambersSir William Chambers
NorthArchitectsVANBRUGHVanbrughJohn Vanbrugh
NorthArchitectsWRENWrenChristopher Wren
NorthArchitectsINIGO JONESInigo JonesInigo Jones
NorthArchitectsMANSARTMansartJules Hardouin Mansart
NorthArchitectsTHORPEThorpeJohn Thorpe
NorthArchitectsPALLADIOPalladioAndrea Palladio
NorthArchitectsVIGNOLAVignolaGiacomo Barozzi da Vignola
NorthArchitectsDELORMEDelormePhilibert de l'Orme
NorthArchitectsSANSOVINOSansovinoJacopo Sansovino
NorthArchitectsSAN GALLOSan GalloGiuliano da Sangallo
NorthArchitectsPERUZZIPeruzziBaldassare Peruzzi
NorthArchitectsBRAMANTEBramanteDonato Bramante
NorthArchitectsWILLIAM OF WYKEHAMWilliam of WykehamWilliam of Wykeham
NorthArchitectsALBERTIAlbertiLeone Battista Alberti
NorthArchitectsBRUNELLESCHIBrunelleschiFilippo Brunelleschi
NorthArchitectsGIOTTOGiottoGiotto di Bondone
NorthArchitectsARNOLFO DI LAPOArndfo Di LapoArnolfo di Cambio
NorthArchitectsERWIN VON STEINBACHErmin Van SteinbachErwin von Steinbach
NorthArchitectsJEHAN DE CHELLESJohan de ChellesJean de Chelles
NorthArchitectsROB DE COUCYR. de CourcyRobert De Coucy
NorthArchitectsWILLIAM OF SENSWilliam of SensWilliam of Sens
NorthArchitectsWILLIAM THE ENGLISHMANWilliam the EnglishmanWilliam the Englishman
NorthArchitectsABBE SUGERAbbe SugerAbbot Suger
NorthArchitectsANTHEMIUSAnthemiusAnthemius of Tralles
NorthArchitectsHERMODORUSHermodorausno article
NorthArchitectsAPOLLODORUSAppollodonusApollodorus of Damascus
NorthArchitectsCALLIMACHUSCallimchusCallimachus
NorthArchitectsLIBONLibonLibon
NorthArchitectsCALLICRATESCallicratesKallikrates
NorthArchitectsICTINUSIctinusIktinos
NorthArchitectsMNESIKLESMnesiclesMnesikles
NorthArchitectsCHERSIPHRONChersiphronChersiphron
NorthArchitectsRHOECUSRhoscusRhoecus
NorthArchitectsMETAGENESMetagenesMetagenes
NorthArchitectsTHEODORUSTheodorusTheodorus of Samos
NorthArchitectsHIRAMHiramHiram Abiff
NorthArchitectsBEZALEELBezaleelBezalel
NorthArchitectsSENNACHERIBSennacheribSennacherib
NorthArchitectsNITOCRISNitocrisNitocris
NorthArchitectsCHEOPSCheopsKhufu
WestSculptorsEGYPTIANEgyptiannone
WestSculptorsASSYRIANAssyriannone
WestSculptorsRHOECUSR. LoecusRhoecus
WestSculptorsDIBUTADESDibutadesButades
WestSculptorsBUPALUSBupalusBupalus
WestSculptorsPHIDIASPhidiasPhidias
WestSculptorsSCOPASScopasScopas
WestSculptorsBRYAXISBryaxisBryaxis
WestSculptorsLEOCHARESLeochanesLeochares
WestSculptorsPRAXITELESPraxitelesPraxiteles
WestSculptorsLYSIPPUSLysippusLysippos
WestSculptorsCHARESChanesChares of Lindos
WestSculptorsGIULIANO DI RAVENNAGiuliano de Ravennano article
WestSculptorsNICCOLA PISANONiccola PisanoNicola Pisano
WestSculptorsGHIBERTIGhibertiLorenzo Ghiberti
WestSculptorsTORELLW. TonelWilliam Torell
WestSculptorsLUCA DELLA ROBBIALuca Deklla RobbiaLuca della Robbia
WestSculptorsWILLIAM OF IRELANDWilliam of IrelandWilliam of Ireland
WestSculptorsVERROCCHIOVerrocchioAndrea del Verrocchio
WestSculptorsDONATELLODonatelloDonatello
WestSculptorsMICHAEL ANGELOMichael AngeloMichelangelo
WestSculptorsTORRIGIANOTorrigianoPietro Torrigiano
WestSculptorsGIAN DI BOLOGNAGian Di BalognaGiambologna
WestSculptorsBANDINELLIBandinelliBartolommeo Bandinelli
WestSculptorsVISCHERVischerPeter Vischer the Elder
WestSculptorsCELLINICelliniBenvenuto Cellini
WestSculptorsBACCIO D'AGNOLOBaccio D'agneloBaccio D'Agnolo
WestSculptorsGOUJONGaujonJean Goujon
WestSculptorsPALISSYPalisayBernard Palissy
WestSculptorsBONTEMPSBontempsPierre Bontemps
WestSculptorsPILONPilonGermain Pilon
WestSculptorsCANOCanoAlonzo Cano
WestSculptorsSTONEStoneNicholas Stone
WestSculptorsBERNINIBerniniGian Lorenzo Bernini
WestSculptorsCIBBERCibberCaius Gabriel Cibber
WestSculptorsPUGETPugetPierre Paul Puget
WestSculptorsGIBBONSGibbonsGrinling Gibbons
WestSculptorsBIRDF. BirdFrancis Bird
WestSculptorsBUSHNELLBushnellJohn Bushnell
WestSculptorsROUBILIACRoubiliacLouis-François Roubiliac
WestSculptorsCANOVACanovaAntonio Canova
WestSculptorsFLAXMANFlaxmanJohn Flaxman
WestSculptorsDAVID David D'AngersPierre Jean David
WestSculptorsTHORWALDSENThorvaldsenBertel Thorvaldsen

Selection, arrangement, and omissions

The selection of figures reflects contemporary thinking, although even by the taste of the 1860s it seems odd to omit Schubert, then considered rather lightweight, whilst including Daniel Auber and Grétry.
Among the painters, a classical tradition predominates to the extent that there is no hint of Mannerism in the sixteenth century and Giulio Romano is omitted, nor is there any reference to Rococo taste, where a modern list would include Antoine Watteau and François Boucher. The painters represented in the frieze reflect to some extent, Albert's own taste for the "Primitives" of the late Middle Ages, although Duccio is absent. Botticelli and Vermeer were yet to be rediscovered, and El Greco, Caravaggio, and Goya, who would all figure in a modern canon, mostly were regarded with suspicion.
No English poet after John Milton was featured. Among the architects, the figure of Nitocris, the only figure representing a woman on the frieze, may have been selected because it was at one time thought that she was the pharaoh responsible for the pyramid now credited to Menkaura.
Other figures commemorated elsewhere on the Albert Memorial, on the canopy mosaics, but not on the frieze, are Apelles, King Solomon and King David. The preferred south side of the memorial, being the direction in which Albert's statue faces, is populated by poets and musicians, with poets at the centre in accordance with the Victorian concept of poetry as the highest of the arts.
The arrangement of the other groups also reflects this Victorian thinking, with the fine arts of the sculptors and painters on the east and west sides, joining a spiritual side on the south and a material side on the north. At least three of the sides also have a central, pre-eminent figure seated on a throne, with Homer for the poets, Raphael for the painters, and Michelangelo for the sculptors.
Scott originally intended the last of the architects depicted in full to be himself, however, after all the other characters had been chosen, he realised he'd forgotten Pugin, the great genius of the Victorian Gothic Revival. So Scott replaced his own statue with Pugin's, and then placed himself as a relief head, looking over Pugin's shoulder.

Authenticity and details

Authentic points of detail and historical accuracy include Phidias being depicted as bald, the phorminx being held by the bard Homer, William Hogarth's dog, Paolo Veronese's hand resting on a greyhound, Daniel Auber's right arm in a sling, the building models held by William of Wykeham and Jean de Chelles, the model of Trajan's Column held by Apollodorus of Damascus, the object held by Hiram, the sculptures held by Dibutades and Phidias, Ghiberti leaning on a panel, the sculptures being held by Donatello and Michelangelo, and the statue being admired by the group to the right of Cellini.
Authentic period detail also is seen in much of the clothing, the details of facial hair, furniture, and accessories, including scrolls, books, swords, and palettes. The figures are posed, either in isolation or in groups, with some figures facing each other in poses of admiration or engaged deeply in conversation.