John Henning (1771–1851) – Parthenon Friezes – Plaster – England, Greece, Athens, Elgin, London

John Henning (1771–1851) – Parthenon Friezes – plaster – England, Greece, Athens, Elgin, London
Miniature of the Parthenon frieze featuring horsemen, by the sculptor John Henning.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, interest in classical sculpture was at its peak, and many original works and copies adorned country homes and art academies throughout Great 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, restoring the missing elements. His initial studies in ivory were unsuccessful, so he carved the sculpted slate, which he used as molds to create 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 reliefs.