Corner View - Statues

For this week's Corner View theme I am returning to my home country of England, to take a look at four iconic statues.

1/ The Water of Life, Chester.

Stephen Broadbent's bronze sculpture, the Water of Life, in Chester Cathedral's cloister garden, is one of the most beautiful in the world. Completed in 1994, it stands 3.3 m high, and depicts the encounter between Jesus and the woman of Samaria -a good Samaritan - who gave him water from a well, as recounted in John's gospel.

"Jesus said, 'But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:14.

2/ The Angel of the North, Gateshead.

Antony Gormley's massive Angel of the North is probably now the most famous statue in England. The steel sculpture was erected by the side of the A1 motorway, just outside the industrial town of Gateshead, in 1994. It is 20m tall, has a wingspan of 54m and is the largest sculpture of an angel in the world. Look closely at the photo and you will see the tiny human figures at its base.

3/ Robin Hood, Nottingham.

Robin Hood is Nottingham's main tourist attraction, and people come from all over the world to to see his statue, which stands in front of the walls of Nottingham Castle. James Woodford's statue of the legendary outlaw was given to the city by E.F. Clay in 1949. While I was taking this photo, a Japanese visitor told me that he had travelled half-way round the world just to be photographed standing next to it( lucky I was there!).

4/ Statue of Eros, London

Alfred Gilbert's Statue of Eros, which stands in the middle of Piccadilly Circus in London's Soho district was, until the Angel of the North was erected, the most iconic statue in England. Erected in 1892, it was the first statue in the world to be made of aluminium. In the Victorian era, the unveiling of a statue of a nude archer in the middle of what was to become London's red light district was somewhat contorversial, but now it is one of the favourite meeting places in the city. Although it is generally believed to represent Eros, Gilbert actually designed it to depict Eros's brother, Anteros, the God of requited love.