A new addition to the Victoria and Albert Museum and the first marble by sculptor John Deare to join a public British collection, Caesar Invading Britain is described as “one of the finest pieces of neo-classical sculpture carved by a British artist”.

Showing a scene of Roman soldiers being repelled by the British as they landed, the overmantle upon which the relief is carved was commissioned to sit over the fireplace in the Buckingham mansion of John Penn, grandson of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania.

It remained in his home – Stoke Park – until the middle of the 20th century when it was moved to a nearby private home, Stoke Manor. Recent building work there meant it needed to be moved again and, as a result, it was subsequently acquired by the V&A.

The rectangular overmantle is accompanied by a marble lintel which is inscribed in Latin and reads: “This one thing was lacking to complete Caesar’s customary success”. Taken from Caesar’s own account of the landing, it apparently refers to the moment, albeit a brief one, when the Briton warriors managed to push back the oncoming Romans.

John Deare, described by the V&A as “one of the most innovative and gifted British neoclassical sculptors”, completed the work in Rome between 1791-96 (he spent much time in the city and died there in 1798 after he was said to have caught a chill while sleeping on a marble block in the search for inspiration).

The sculpture is displayed in the Dorothy and Michael Hintze Sculpture Galleries.

WHERE: Dorothy and Michael Hintze Sculpture Galleries, Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington (nearest Tube stations are South Kensington and Knightsbridge); WHEN: 10am to 5.45pm daily (later Friday nights for select galleries); COST: Free entry; WEBSITE: www.vam.ac.uk