'Spirit of Liverpool' - Walker Art Gallery - Liverpool, Merseyside, UK. - Figurative Public Sculpture on Waymarking.com

The 'Spirit of Liverpool'a is white marble statue that can be seen sitting on top of the Walker Art Gallery keeping a serene watch over the city below.

The original Italian marble statue was carved in Rome in the 1870s by sculptor John Warrington Wood, (9th September 1839 - 26th December 1886) a British sculptor of mythological subjects and portrait busts. He exhibited works at the Royal Academy from 1868 to 1874.
The statue was unveiled in 1887 by Lord Derby.

"John Warrington Wood, created the allegorical statue in which there are many symbols representing the city of Liverpool in the late 19th century.
Liverpool is portrayed as a gigantic royal woman wearing a crown and a laurel wreath on her head. She is sitting on a bale of cotton that portrays Liverpool’s trade and industry. A Liver bird, a fictional bird that is a symbol of Liverpool, is sitting by her left arm and in her left hand she is holding a steamship propeller. In her right hand she is holding a trident. Both the trident and the propeller are symbols of domination over the sea. At her feet is a painter’s palette, a compass and a setsquare.
This combination of objects was meant to symbolise that the arts find their support from trade and industry. This is not an unusual idea to be put forward in the late 19th century, especially by wealthy businessmen who supported grand building and artistic projects in Liverpool at this time." SOURCE: (visit link)

By the 1990s the original statue was weatherworn having suffered from pollution, wind and age, was missing various limbs and was in a dangerous state.
In 1993 the original was moved to the National Conservation Centre, where it is stored in a controlled environment to prevent further deterioration.

A replica 'Spirit of Liverpool' was carved from a 41 ton piece of Chinese marble in 1993-1994. Four Chinese carvers worked for nine months to recreate the sculpture. They worked from drawings and plans made from the plasticine reconstruction on the original.

The 12 ton replica was put on the roof of the Walker Art Gallery in place of the original and is still sitting proudly today.
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Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: 'Spirit of Liverpool' Figure Type: Human Artist Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: John Warrington Wood - original sculpture Date created or placed or use 'Unknown' if not known: 1994 Materials used: Marble Location: The Walker Art Gallery - Liverpool.

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