Saturday, April 2, 2011

But thy eternal summer shall not fade…

Leeds City Art Gallery’s listing for my group of life-size bronze figures poses the question to the viewer as to why they are dressed in old-fashioned clothing.  In fact, the figures are dressed in what was the fashion of the day: the day in this case being the year 2000 when I created the sculpture. 

This just goes to show how rapidly fashions change.   In my teenage years, drainpipe trousers and pointed shoes known as “winkle-pickers” were all the rage.  Seen now one would say, you must be joking! 

This is one reason why, through the ages, sculptors have reverted to the timelessness of the nude.  Maybe Shakespeare's "dark lady" can be linked to the permanence of such a bronze figure.

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st...

The Leeds sculpture in question depicts a Yorkshire couple and their child watching a Frenchman (out of camera) playing the game of Boules.  As always with the clothed figure, I begin by modelling the nude form.  I remember that the Commissioners inspected the work at this intermediate stage and expressing their satisfaction.  Maybe, it should have been signed off as completed then and there!

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