This is a puddle reflection (flipped) of The Offerings of War from outside the NSW Art Gallery, on a cold, wet December day. The coldest start to summer in 50 years.
At least we know these are recent photos!! I was walking along the facade (walking along looking at would be more accurate) this week and I wondered why they stopped all those bronze reliefs above the name of the historic painters. Any idea?
Julie: from the Art Gallery site. (but no real explanation why they weren't completed.)
In 1900 the Trustees decided to beautify the façade of the Gallery. Perceval Ball suggested that the empty panels should be filled with bas reliefs illustrating the arts and industries. It was later decided to depict the various eras of art. At a meeting of the Board on 26 March 1903 Eccleston Du Faur, President of the Trustees, suggested that a series of six panels be designed depicting the six ‘distinctive historical art periods’ of the Assyrian, Egyptian, Grecian, Roman, Gothic and Renaissance. Bronze was chosen as the medium, as it was decided that marble caught too sharply the glare of sunlight. In the same year the Trustees organised a competition for the first two panels.
Only four of the six intended bronze relief panels were ever completed. They are set high on the south half of the front elevation, and beside them are two empty panels. Six empty panels are found on the corresponding north half of the front elevation. The four completed reliefs are subjects from [left to right] Assyria, Egypt, Greece and Rome. The uncompleted reliefs were presumably intended to continue this sequence of major civilizations. At first sight the completed reliefs appear to relate to the bronze names of artists on the entablature, but this is misleading, as there is no significant relation between the artists’ names and the reliefs. Three of these panels won prizes in a bas relief competition.
This is really nice Peter.
ReplyDeleteA great set Peter. I like the title you gave it as well!!
ReplyDelete{Sounds funny when you say summer in December to me:) }
At least we know these are recent photos!! I was walking along the facade (walking along looking at would be more accurate) this week and I wondered why they stopped all those bronze reliefs above the name of the historic painters. Any idea?
ReplyDeleteThankfully there was a big enough puddle - well captured!
ReplyDeleteJulie: from the Art Gallery site.
ReplyDelete(but no real explanation why they weren't completed.)
In 1900 the Trustees decided to beautify the façade of the Gallery. Perceval Ball suggested that the empty panels should be filled with bas reliefs illustrating the arts and industries. It was later decided to depict the various eras of art. At a meeting of the Board on 26 March 1903 Eccleston Du Faur, President of the Trustees, suggested that a series of six panels be designed depicting the six ‘distinctive historical art periods’ of the Assyrian, Egyptian, Grecian, Roman, Gothic and Renaissance. Bronze was chosen as the medium, as it was decided that marble caught too sharply the glare of sunlight. In the same year the Trustees organised a competition for the first two panels.
Only four of the six intended bronze relief panels were ever completed. They are set high on the south half of the front elevation, and beside them are two empty panels. Six empty panels are found on the corresponding north half of the front elevation. The four completed reliefs are subjects from [left to right] Assyria, Egypt, Greece and Rome. The uncompleted reliefs were presumably intended to continue this sequence of major civilizations. At first sight the completed reliefs appear to relate to the bronze names of artists on the entablature, but this is misleading, as there is no significant relation between the artists’ names and the reliefs. Three of these panels won prizes in a bas relief competition.
well done!
ReplyDelete