Public Monument and Sculpture Association National Recording Project
Allegorical Figure Groups Photograph
Region ID | GW | |
Work ID | 29 | |
Manual Reference | PA/007 | |
Title | Allegorical Figure Groups | |
Sculptor | Montford, Paul Raphael | |
Restorer | Schotz, Benno | |
Foundry | Burton, A.B. | |
Foundry | Morris Singer | |
Date of design | 1912-1926 | |
Year of unveiling | 1926 | |
Unveiling details | Figure groups placed on bridge, 1926 | |
Road | Kelvin Way | |
Precise Location | On bridge over the River Kelvin | |
A to Z Ref | 34 J14 | |
OS Ref | ||
Postcode | G3 | |
Work is | Extant | |
Listing Status | II* | |
Duty of Care | Glasgow City Council | |
Commissioned by | Glasgow Corporation | |
Notes | ||
Four allegorical figure groups: NE corner: Peace (a female with a child and spinning wheel) and War (a male warrior) NW corner: Philosophy (a bearded male with a book and skull) and Inspiration (a female with a lute) SE corner: Navigation (a female with a rope and a ship's tiller) and Shipbuilding (a female with a model ship) SW corner: Commerce (a female with a money bag, her feet resting on books) and Industry (a male with a hammer and anvil) | ||
The bridge was designed in 1912. Reference to 'certain allegorical statuary proposed to be placed at the north and south ends' was first made in the minutes of the Sub-Committee on Parks 2 February 1912 (1). In October 1913 the bridge was nearing completion and a sub-committee was formed to consider the placing of statuary upon it. Montford received the commission for the sculpture groups after an open competition organised by Glasgow Corporation in 1914. The competition's adjudicator was Sir George Frampton; the £50 second prize went to Alexander Proudfoot. Disagreement about price between Montford and the Corporation held up the work, and the plaster models were not ready until August 1918. The bronze casting was then postponed because of the high cost of materials after the War and because of disagreement over the price between the founder and the Corporation. The completed bronze groups were eventually placed on the bridge in 1926 | ||
circa | ||
raw year | 1926 | |
Condition | Fair | |
At risk | No known risk | |
Inscriptions | On panel attached to groups 'Peace and War' and 'Philosophy and Inspiration': THIS GROUP WAS BADLY DAMAGED BY ENEMY ACTION DURING THE NIGHT OF 13-14 MARCH 1941. RESTORED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF BENNO SCHOTZ RSA BY THE MORRIS-SINGER CO LTD 1951 | |
Signatures | On each group: PAUL R MONTFORD Sc A B BURTON / FOUNDER / THAMES DITTON | |
Elements
Element Details
Part of work | Material | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|
All | Bronze | |
Assessment of Condition
Surface Character
Detail | Comment |
|---|---|
Other | Blue surface colouration |
Structural Condition
Structural Condition | Comment |
|---|---|
Replaced parts | Groups 'Peace and War' and 'Philosophy and Inspiration' damaged during Second World War. Repaired 1951 by Benno Schotz / Morris Singer Co. Ltd |
Vandalism
Vandalism | Comment |
|---|---|
None | |
