Maquette of a Monument Symbolising the Liberation of the Spirit
- Artist: Antoine Pevsner
- Date: 1952
- Medium: Bronze
- Dimensions: object: 472 x 465 x 310 mm
- Museum: Tate Modern
- Collection record: Tate Modern website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the Maquette of a Monument Symbolising the Liberation of the Spirit by Antoine Pevsner. Made in 1952 from bronze, the model was created for a competition called The Unknown Political Prisoner organized by the Institute of Contemporary Arts. Pevsner built a complex, organic shape out of straight lines, turning geometry into a symbolic prison. Every surface is carefully calculated so that the monument can be seen in full from any angle, like a twin‑sided shell. The repeated lines echo the bars of a cell, while a floating motif inside the sphere emphasizes the idea of captivity turned into a visual cage. The piece is about 46 by 46 centimeters, yet it packs a powerful message about freedom and moral strength. It was bought by the Tate in 1953 and is on display at the Tate Modern. Watching it, you can feel the tension between abstract form and political commentary, a reminder that art can shape society.
See it in person
Maquette of a Monument Symbolising the Liberation of the Spirit is in the collection of Tate Modern on Bankside, 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.
