Centrepiece, 1872

Henry Hugh Armstead RA (1828 - 1905)

RA Collection: Art

A silver centrepiece in the form of a rose-water bowl with a central pedestal supporting a figure of Prometheus (or Jove) and an eagle. Around the bowl are six medallion heads of Royal Academy Presidents: Reynolds, West, Lawrence, Shee, Eastlake and Grant. There is also a ribbon inscribed with the names of prominent Royal Academicians: Chambers, Wilson, Gainsborough, Gibson, Leslie, Charles Barry, Etty, Chantry, Wilkie, Constable, Turner and Flaxman.

This centrepiece was published by Charles Oman in his 1969 article on the Academy's plate collection in Apollo magazine. He identified the standing figure as Jove. However, in notes kept with the albums of Armstead's drawings in the Royal Academy collection, the artist or one of his family identifies the design as the "Prometheus Group". In Greek myth, the Titan Prometheus defied Zeus by teaching mortals how to make fire. As a punishment he was chained to a rock where an eagle would peck out his liver each day. The liver grew back every night and the process was constantly repeated. The connection between Prometheus and British artists is not immediately obvious but it is probably connected with the idea that the Titan's gift of fire was regarded as the spark of human creativity.

This spectacular centrepiece was commissioned to celebrate the centenary of the Royal Academy.