“G. E. Street Memorial” by H. H. Armstead

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G. E. Street Memorial

H. H. Armstead (1828-1905)

1886

Main Hall of the Law Courts

Strand, London

Photograph and text Jacqueline Banerjee

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Related Material

Viw from left

Bas Reliefs on Podium

Main Hall of the Law Courts

G. E. Street (homepage)

This fine example of Armstead's work combines his virtues of monumental impressiveness with human detail (compare the figures on the base here with figures on the podium frieze of the Albert Memorial, on which he had also worked). This combination makes it a striking memorial both to the architect himself and to the craftsmen who worked on the Law Courts — perhaps also to all that we think of as "High Victorian." The memorial is also a fine example of architectural sculpture, for it was designed for this splendid Gothic setting” by Sir Arthur Blomfield, who completed the building after Street's death, together with Street's son, also called Arthur. These kinds of collaborations between architects and sculptors produced some of the best work of the age (such as the Albert Memorial itself), and help to correct the view of rivalry and "battles" in and amongst the different arts, their practitioners and styles.

Bibliography

"Royal Courts of Justice: Visitors' Guide." Viewed 22 January 2008.

Read, Benedict. Victorian Sculpture. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1982.

Content last modified 3 February 2008

Reformatted 16 March 2015