Public Monument and Sculpture Association National Recording Project
Australia
Region ID | GW | |
Work ID | 261 | |
Manual Reference | CA/011/1 | |
Title | Australia | |
Ceramicist | Doulton & Co., of Lambeth | |
Other | Frith, W Silver | |
Designer | Pearce, A.E. | |
Sculptor | Pomeroy, Frederick | |
Date of design | 1887-90 | |
Year of unveiling | c.1890 | |
Unveiling details | ||
Road | Saltmarket | |
Precise Location | Glasgow Green, east of Saltmarket entrance, on Doulton fountain, facing south | |
A to Z Ref | 36 L17 | |
OS Ref | ||
Postcode | G1 | |
Work is | Extant | |
Listing Status | I | |
Duty of Care | Glasgow City Council | |
Commissioned by | Sir Henry Doulton, of Lambeth | |
Notes | ||
Allegorical group representing 'Australia' comprising a standing, draped female holding a sheaf of wheat, beside a sheep and a seated, draped male representing a gold-digger | ||
The Doulton Fountain comprises three stages featuring: four groups symbolising parts of the British Empire, four kneeling female figures, and four military figures representing the army and navy. The structure is crowned with a statue of Queen Victoria. Around the basins at ground level are four reliefs of the Glasgow coat of arms with half-length figures of St. Mungo rising above them. There are also lion mask water spouts and other decorative details on the upper structure. The fountain was commissioned as Doulton & co.'s exhibit in the International Exhibition held at Kelvingrove Park, in 1888. The designer was Arthur E. Pearce with the modelling of the various groups and details being supervised by William Silver Frith (who modelled the 'Canada' group, see CA011/4). The fountain was gifted to the city in 1890 and relocated to Glasgow Green in that year. (1) In the summer of 1894 the Queen Victoria figure was destroyed by lightning. This was replaced by Sir Henry Doulton at his own expense in 1895 after the Corporation had suggested replacing it with some other, cheaper, feature. The lightning conductor was affixed at this time. Since then it has been subjected to wholesale vandalism and neglect and is in a ruinous and derelict condition. The fountain is scheduled for restoration, c. 2000, and will be moved to a new location. Dismantling began on 30 July 1999 with the removal of the groups and figures to the council's store at Lochburn Road. The main structure and Queen Victoria will be dismantled in 2000. (2) | ||
The group symbolises the British Dominion of Australia | ||
circa | c. | |
raw year | 1890 | |
Condition | Poor | |
At risk | At Risk | |
Inscriptions | In intaglio Roman lettering, on escutcheon below group: AUSTRALIA In incised Roman lettering, at rear of group, on various parts (for original assembly matching) AUSTRALIA or AUS | |
Signatures | In incised Roman lettering, on plinth, at lower left corner: DOULTON & CO. / LAMBETH | |
Elements
Element Details
Part of work | Material | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|
Sculpture | Yellow terracotta | |
Assessment of Condition
Surface Character
Detail | Comment |
|---|---|
Previous treatments | Sculpture dismantled and relocated 1890, 1999 |
Abrasions, cracks, splits | Sculpture derelict |
Biological growth | Green growth and plants |
Structural Condition
Structural Condition | Comment |
|---|---|
Broken, missing parts | Sculpture extant from waist down |
Broken, missing parts | Parts stolen or in storage |
Vandalism
Vandalism | Comment |
|---|---|
Structural damage | Sculpture destroyed |
Surface damage | Red paint spattered on group |