PressClub Portugal · Article.
SPIRIT OF ECSTASY PRESS KIT
Fri Feb 05 12:07:00 CET 2021 Dossier de imprensa
The Spirit of Ecstasy has graced the prow of Rolls-Royce motor cars since 1911. Today, she remains one of the world’s most famous symbols, a true icon embodying beauty, luxury, style and perfection.
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Joao Trincheiras
BMW Group
- Created by sculptor and illustrator Charles Sykes, based on Sykes’ bronze statuette the ‘Whisper’ commissioned by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu
- Design first registered as the ‘official’ Rolls-Royce mascot in 1911; Centenary (2011) marked with an exclusive Collection car, plus images by leading photographer Rankin
- Until 1939, every figurine was hand-finished by Sykes and his daughter Josephine
- The ‘Whisper’ and other Spirit of Ecstasy figurines are on permanent display at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu
Origins of an icon
Lord Montagu of Beaulieu
(1866-1929) was one of Britain’s motoring pioneers. As founder and
editor of The Car Illustrated magazine, he employed an
illustrator, Charles Sykes. In 1909, Lord Montagu commissioned Sykes
(who was also a sculptor) to create a mascot for his Rolls-Royce
Silver Ghost. Sykes produced a bronze statue of a young woman in
fluttering robes, which he named the ‘Whisper’.
Soon, other owners were having their own ornaments made, much to
the displeasure of Rolls‑Royce General Managing Director, Claude
Johnson. In 1911, Johnson instructed Sykes to design an ‘official’
mascot to protect the company’s products from these ‘unsightly’
additions. The ever-practical Sykes subtly reinterpreted ‘The Whisper’
and created what became known as the Spirit of Ecstasy.
The design was registered as the company’s intellectual property
in 1911 and became both a defining feature of the Rolls-Royce brand
and one of the most famous, iconic and desirable emblems in the world.
Originally a statuesque seven inches (c. 18cm) tall, the Spirit of
Ecstasy today stands a more petite three ¾ inches (9.5cm) high.
In the 1970s, some countries tried to ban the mascot on safety
grounds. In Switzerland, for example, customers weren’t allowed to
display her at all, and on receiving their cars found her languishing
in the glove compartment. Rolls-Royce’s typically elegant and
ingenious solution was to mount the mascot on a spring-loaded base,
allowing her to sink into the radiator out of harm’s way at the merest
touch. This retraction mechanism has evolved into a smooth, graceful
movement known as ‘the rise’ and is a standard feature on every
Rolls-Royce motor car hand-built at Goodwood.
Spirit of Innovation
Until 1999, the figurines
were made by ‘lost wax’ casting, which dates back over 5,000 years.
Amazingly, Charles Sykes himself, assisted by his daughter Josephine,
personally cast, inscribed and finished every Spirit of Ecstasy right
up until 1939.
In preparation for the launch of Phantom in 2003, BMW Group
rejuvenated the Spirit of Ecstasy by introducing the modern investment
casting process, working with a specialist company in Southampton, England.
The first step was to digitally ‘map’ the original Spirit of
Ecstasy, manipulating and enhancing individual details to create a
perfect three-dimensional computerised image. To ensure even the
finest details were precisely replicated, the injection mould was
formed by skilled craftsmen using cutters measuring just 0.2mm in
size. This cast tool was used to produce a highly accurate wax model
of the figurine, which was then coated in ceramic. After this coating
had dried, the wax was melted away, leaving a perfect mould from which
the new cast would be taken.
Each figurine is made by filling the mould with molten stainless
steel, at a temperature of 1600°C. Once the steel has cooled, the
mould is opened to reveal the Spirit of Ecstasy in all her glory. The
final transformation takes place in the Finishing department, using a
process called peening. The casting is blasted by millions of
stainless steel balls just 17 thousandths of an inch (0.04mm) in
diameter, which help to polish the surface without being abrasive.
After machining, a final mirror polish and stringent quality assurance
checks, the completed figurine takes her rightful place above the
iconic Rolls-Royce grille.
Sykes' original the ‘Whisper’ and other Spirit of Ecstasy
figurines are on permanent display at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu.
Celebrating in Style
In January 2011, the
company launched The Spirit of Ecstasy Centenary Collection to mark
its famous mascot's 100th anniversary. Limited to just 100 Bespoke
Phantom models, the collection featured exclusive body colours,
leather combinations, wood veneers and interior details. All featured
a specially commissioned Spirit of Ecstasy in solid silver, with six
hallmarks (including two designed specifically for Rolls-Royce Motor
Cars) on a black-gold plated illuminated base. Rolls-Royce also
commissioned leading British portrait and fashion photographer Rankin
to produce a series of 100 images inspired by the figurine.
The MUSE of the marque
The Spirit of Ecstasy was
created by a highly respected artist and illustrator Charles Robinson
Sykes (1875-1950). Many of his wonderful designs for advertisements
and magazine covers are conserved in London’s world-famous Victoria
& Albert Museum (V&A). That foundational link with the world
of fine art lives on, with the Spirit of Ecstasy serving as a muse and
source of inspiration for the Rolls-Royce brand.
In 2016, innovative Belgian designer Charles Kaisin created an
installation comprising 2,500 miniature origami pieces, all made from
silver paper folded into the shape of the Spirit of Ecstasy; pieced
together, they recalled the iconic figurine.
The marque’s longstanding relationship with the art community
has been further strengthened through MUSE, The Rolls‑Royce Art
Programme. As part of this unique initiative, the biennial Spirit of
Ecstasy Challenge invites established and emerging creative
practitioners to re-imagine her distinctive form in a material and
manner of their choosing.
Looking into the future
In 2020, the Spirit of
Ecstasy took on a new life and appearance as part of a wider update of
the Rolls-Royce brand identity. Known as The Expression, she appears
ethereal and regal, yet with a highly contemporary, technological edge
that reflects the company’s vision as a modern House of Luxury.