John Henning

Friezes of the Parthenon
bas-relief plaster panel, 37.5 x 134 cm (damaged)

During the 18th and 19th centuries, interest in classical sculpture was at its peak, and many original works and copies adorned country houses and art academies across Britain. The famous Parthenon frieze was part of Lord Elgin’s collection of Greek sculptures. John Henning was one of the first to view the collection and, like most who saw it, was struck by the beauty of the marbles. He thus undertook a project to create miniature models of the Parthenon friezes by restoring the missing elements. His initial attempts with ivory were unsuccessful, so he carved sculpted slate, which he used as molds to make plaster casts, producing small sections of the frieze that were sold in boxes. At the time, it took Henning twelve years to complete all the surveys.