Statues - Hither & Thither

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Queen's Square
(Queen Square House)

The Four Continents

Description

Queen Square House was built for the Bristol Docks Authority in 1885 by William Venn Gough. On the four pilasters are stone allegorical statues representing the four continents.

[EUROPA]

[ASIA]

AFRICA

AMERICA

In The Talk of Bristol in the Bristol Mercury of 16 February 1886 is written:

The members of the Docks Committee, we unlerstand, are much exercised as to the appropriateness of certain statues which have been erected on the ornate facade of the new offices in Queen Square. The figures are allegorically representative of the four continents, and the rumour is that some object to them on the ground of an insufficiency of drapery, whilst others think the material employed is out of harmony with the warm tone of the terra-cotta facings. As to the former objection there does not appear to to anything in the treatment of the figures to offend the susceptibilities of the sensitive mind; and as to the other argument, with the chimney stacks of two very active flour mills in close proximity there need not be the slightest apprehension but that the statues will very quickly assume a much warmer tone than they now present. The ratepayers probably will think that the best way to settle the controversy would be to dispense with the allegorical figures altogether.

Sculptor

H.T. Margetson British sculptor 'formerly of Bristol, now of Chelsea' (1886) (Mapping of Sculpture) (lists him as 'Mr. Margetson').

Sources & Information

Wikipedia, Queen Square House, Bristol.
Bob Speel, Statues in Queen Square, Bristol.
Bristol Mercury, Tuesday 16 February 1886 and Thursday 6 May 1886 (British Newspaper Archive).

Location (N 51°27'0" - W 2°35'36")

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Item Code: gbsw068; Photograph: 21 March 2019
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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