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Field Visit
Date 25 March 2000
Event ID 612262
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/612262
A bronze statuette of a chimpanzee seated on a disorderly pile of books, one of which has the title "Darwin" inscribed on the spine. On a page of an open book facing the viewer is the inscription "Eritus Sicut Deus". The chimpanzee’s right hand is holding a human skull with gaping jaw up to its face for examination while the left hand is stroking its chin in a pensive expression. The left foot grasps the right lower leg which is holding a pair of measuring calipers.
In 1893, at the Grosse Berliner Kunstaustellung (Great Berlin Art Exhibition), Rheinhold first exhibited his 'Affe mit Schadel' (monkey with skull), otherwise 'Affe einen Schadel betrachtend' (monkey viewing or contemplating a skull). Soon after, it was a featured bronze in the catalogue of the Gladenbeck foundry (set up by Carl Gustav Hermann Gladenbeck in 1851).
Inscriptions : On bronze plinth, incised letters in lower case italics enclosed in quotation marks:
"eritus sicut deus"
On bronze plinth (incised letters):
Presented by / Dr. R. Stewart MacDougall
Within a small frame fixed to wall to right hand side of work (typed letters):
This statuette of the ape and the skull, presented to the Department in 1942, is one of a small number of bronze castings by Rheinhold in 1892. Another one is on Lenin’s desk in the Kremlin.
The Latin inscription is a slight modification of what the Serpent says to Eve in Genesis 3.5 "Eritus sicut diiscientes bonum et malum" (Vulgate). In the Authorised Version, this is ".. ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil".
Signatures : On front face of plinth at bottom right hand side:
1942.12
Design period : 1893
Year of unveiling : 1942
Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN0023)
