Object Details

Statue of Queen Victoria

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Location
Makers
General Information
Classification
Object Parts
Object Condition
History
References
Photographs


Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright for Photograph:

Creative Commons

Location

Street:Marlborough Place / Grand Parade
Town:Brighton
Parish:Brighton
Council:Brighton & Hove City Council
County:East Sussex
Postcode:BN1 / BN2
Location on Google Map
Object setting:Garden
Access is:Public
Location note:Church Street end of Victoria Gardens
In the AZ book:East Sussex
Page:162
Grid reference:F7
The A-Z books used are A-Z East Sussex and A-Z West Sussex (Editions 1A 2005). Geographers' A-Z Map Company Ltd. Sevenoaks.

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Makers

Name : Carlo Nicoli
     Role:Sculptor
Company/Group :The Sculptured Marble Company, London.
     Role:Builder

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General Information

Commissioned by: Sir John George Blaker
Installation date:1897
Unveiling date:08/12/1897
Work is:Extant
Owner custodian:Brighton & Hove City Council
Object listing:Grade II: of special interest warranting every effort to preserve them
Listing date:20/08/1971
Description:Octagonal base constructed of three graduated sections. Scrolls on the corners of the plinth and a rope border around the top plinth. She clutches a scroll (damaged) in her left hand and her robe in the right hand. She wears the Garter sash and her crown is worn over a mantilla. She is depicted in the act of opening Parliament.
Signatures:South aspect of statue, bottom of integral base:
Nicoli

Inscription:Front of lower plinth:

Victoria kg
1897



Middle step of base:

THE SCULPTURED MARBLE CO.
11 QUEEN VICTORIA ST LONDON. E C

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Classification

Categories:Sculptural, Free Standing, Commemorative
Object type1:Statue
Object type2:Sculpture
Subject type1:Figurative
     Subject subtype1:Standing
Subject type2:Portrait
     Subject subtype1:Full-length

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Object Parts

Part 1:Pedestal, lower section
     Material:Carrara marble
     Height (cm):180
     Width (cm):200
     Depth (cm):200
Part 2:Stepped base
     Material:Carrara marble
     Height (cm):45
     Width (cm):400
     Depth (cm):400
Part 3:Pedestal, upper section
     Material:Carrara marble
     Height (cm):68
     Width (cm):130
     Depth (cm):130
Part 4:Statue
     Material:Carrara marble
     Height (cm):250
     Width (cm):85
     Depth (cm):85

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Object Condition

Overall condition:Good
Risk assessment:No known risk
Condition 1 of type:Vandalism
     Condition 1: Surface damage
     Condition 2: Structural damage
     Condition 3: Graffiti
     More details:Copious graffiti on north side of lower section of pedestal.
Condition 2 of type:Structural
     Condition 1: Cracks, splits, breaks, holes
     Condition 2: Replaced parts
     Condition 3: Broken or missing parts
     More details:Base has pieces broken off and cracks.
Condition 3 of type:Surface
     Condition 1: Surface spalling, crumbling
     Condition 2: Abrasions, cracks, splits
     More details:Statue and parts of pedestal weather worn. Statue has lost some of its original detailed carving.
Date of on-site inspection:31/01/2005

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History

History:Sir John George Blaker, (15 October 1854 - 11 June 1926). Mayor of Brighton between 1895 and 1898. Knighted in 1897. Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) in 1918. He was created 1st Baronet Blaker, of Brighton, on 5 September 1919. He also held the office of Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for Sussex. He presented the statue to the town at the opening of Victoria Gardens at the time of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee on 22 June 1897.

The statue was unveiled by the Mayor's daughter, Miss. Jessie Blaker.
('Brighton Almanack for 1898')

The Magazine of Art was particularly scathing about this work:
'This statue of Her Majesty the Queen impresses us neither as a portrait or as an example of sculpture. But what can be expected when the commission was placed with a commercial sculptural company which undertakes to supply ''busts of statesmen and others executed from photographs'', together with stairs, balusters, headstones and other marble works? We have received from them an eulogistic description of the Brighton statue accompanied by a biographical sketch of the ''eminent sculptor'', which omits his name. Is the eminent sculptor - presumably an Italian - ashamed of his connection with commercial sculpture?'
(http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/speel/place/brightn2.htm 22/01/2008)
Hard archive file:Yes

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References

Source 1 :
     Title:'Brighton Almanack for 1898'
     Type:Book
     Location:Brighton History Centre
     Date:00/00/1898
     Page:91
     Publisher:D.B. Friend and Co. Hove.

Source 2 :
     Title:The Archive Photographs Series: Brighton and Hove'
     Type:Book
     Author:Wales, Tony.
     Date:00/00/1997
     Page:24
     Publisher:Chalford. Trowbridge. Wilts.


Further information:
http://www.nicoli-sculptures.com/sculptures/carlo_nicoli.asp

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Photographs





Date: 17/04/2007
Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons




Date: 17/04/2007
Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons




Date: 17/04/2007
Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons




Date: 17/04/2007
Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons

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