Public Monument and Sculpture Association National Recording Project
Family Outing Photograph
Region ID | UEL | |
Work ID | 228 | |
Manual Reference | BE013 | |
Type | Sculpture | |
Title | Family Outing | |
Sculptor | Ravera, John | |
Date of design | 1983-84 | |
Year of unveiling | 1985 | |
Unveiling details | ||
Road | Townley Road | |
Precise Location | On steps outside west entrance to Broadway Shopping Centre opposite Central Library | |
A to Z Ref | 97 3L | |
OS Ref | ||
Postcode | DA6 | |
Work is | Extant | |
Listing Status | Not listed | |
Duty of Care | ||
Commissioned by | Norwich Union Insurance Group | |
Notes | ||
Sculpture in bronze of a family group of a man and woman with a small child. The whole group is in action with the adults stepping forward and holding the child by the hands between them, looking down at it and swinging it off its feet. The woman is wearing a knee-length skirt, but none of the clothing is depicted in any detail. Sculpture stands on paviours on top of the wall of the ramp leading up to the shopping centre. | ||
John Ravera lives in Bexleyheath. He was in touch with Norwich Union who were developing the shopping centre site, and they asked for ideas for a work. His feeling was that the centre was about people and he produced four designs in maquettes on this theme of which they chose ‘Family Outing’. He was therefore commissioned right at the beginning of the development and the sculpture was in place when the first section was opened.(1) | ||
Family group of father, mother and child. | ||
circa | ||
raw year | 1985 | |
Condition | Good | |
At risk | No known risk | |
Inscriptions | Inscribed on small bronze/brass plaque in front of sculpture: Family Outing / JOHN RAVERA F.R.B.S. / 1985 / Commissioned By / NORWICH UNION / INSURANCE GROUP | |
Signatures | ||
Elements
Element Details
Part of work | Material | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|
Whole work | Bronze | 160cm high approx x 145cm wide x 80cm deep |
Assessment of Condition
Surface Character
Detail | Comment |
|---|---|
Accretions | White streaks on man's legs and woman's front. Could be remnants of vandalism? |
Structural Condition
Structural Condition | Comment |
|---|---|
None | |
Vandalism
Vandalism | Comment |
|---|---|
Graffiti | White streaks on man's legs and woman's front. Could be remnants of vandalism? |
