Comedy and Tragedy: ‘Sic Vita’
- Artist: Sir Alfred Gilbert
- Date: c.1890–2
- Medium: Bronze
- Dimensions: object: 349 x 152 x 140 mm
- Museum: Tate Britain
- Collection record: Tate Britain website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the bronze sculpture “Comedy and Tragedy: ‘Sic Vita’” by Sir Alfred Gilbert, created around 1890–92. In it a young stage prop‑boy holds a mask of Comedy; suddenly he’s stung by a bee—an emblem of love that flips his expression into tragedy. Gilbert himself described this moment as “he turns and his face becomes tragic… I was stung by that bee, typified by my love for my art.” The sculpture sits on a wooden base, its dimensions roughly 35 × 15 × 14 cm, so you can see fine detail up close. From one angle the mask’s grin hides a tragic visage visible through the opening mouth—an ingenious play of duality that Gilbert called the climax of his cycle starting with “Perseus Arming” and “Icarus.” The piece was bequeathed to us by Frederick Harrison in 1936, linking it back to its original theatre context. It’s a playful yet profound meditation on how love can swing performance from joy to sorrow.
See it in person
Comedy and Tragedy: ‘Sic Vita’ is in the collection of Tate Britain on Millbank, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
