Empire

Sir Thomas Brock, K.C.B., R.A. 1847-1922

Bronze

Designed 1897, unveiled 9 February 1901

Queen Victoria Memorial, Hove

Grand Avenue, Hove, Sussex

Other Views

Statue of Victoria (from the side)

Entire monument

Front view of Victoria (detail)

Photograph and text by Jacqueline Banerjee, 2009.

[You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one.]

The bronze panels represent Empire, Commerce, Education, and Science and Art. Of these, the one in the front, depicting Empire, is the best preserved and most detailed. According to John Sankey, "The seated female figure represents the ideal of imperial rule. The scales of justice rest on her lap, indicating that the Queen's Dominions were ruled with fairness and equity. She is flanked by four standing male figures — on her right, Canada and Australia in working dress, the former holding an axe, the latter wearing a bush hat. On her left, representing Asia and Africa, a Parsee wearing traditional dress and peering from behind, almost obscured by the Parsee, an African." Sankey adds, "While the symbolism is clear, the whole composition is rather overcrowded" (175).

Bibliography

Sankey, John. Thomas Brock and the Critics — An Examination of Brock's Place in the New Sculpture Movement. PhD Thesis, University of Leeds, 2002.

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Last modified 11 November 2009