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The Statue in Leicester Square, on Wednesday Morning 17th October 1866
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The Statue in Leicester Square, on Wednesday Morning 17th October 1866
XJF196512 The Statue in Leicester Square, on Wednesday Morning 17th October 1866 (pen & ink and w/c on paper) (b/w photo) by Griset, Ernest Henry (1844-1907); Private Collection; (add.info.: The drawing depicts a the statue of George I in Leicester Square wearing a large pointed cap, holding a broom and covered in painted black polka dots on the George Is horse. The horse is also depicted with pointed horns over its ears. This is one of Grisets earliest surviving watercolours and depicts an incident reported in The Times on the 18th October 1866 of the vandalisation of the The Statue of King George the I in Leicester Square. Griset had witnessed the statue on his way to his bookshop in Leicester square on the 17th October 1866. In 1849 the Great Globe was erected which buried the statue of George I under 12 foot of earth with the globe stuck on top. The statue was subsequently uncovered following the globes demise, but by 1866 it had deteriorated due to vandalism and was sold for £ 16.[); English, out of copyright
Media ID 22216094
© Bridgeman Images
Broomstick Central London Dots Horns King George I Painted Plinth Pointed Hat Spotted Vandalism Polka Dots
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The Statue in Leicester Square, on Wednesday Morning 17th October 1866
EDITORS COMMENTS
. This print by Ernest Henry Griset takes us back to a peculiar incident that unfolded in the heart of London. The image captures the statue of King George I in Leicester Square, adorned with an unexpected and whimsical transformation. On that fateful morning of October 17th, 1866, as Griset made his way to his bookshop, he stumbled upon this extraordinary sight. The statue stood tall but was no longer regal; instead, it wore a large pointed cap and was covered from head to toe in painted black polka dots. Even more astonishingly, the horse beneath him sported pointed horns over its ears. The drawing serves as a visual documentation of an act of vandalism reported by The Times on October 18th. It reveals how the once-respected monument had fallen victim to mischievous hands and suffered from years of neglect since its initial burial under twelve feet of earth when the Great Globe was erected in 1849. Griset's watercolor is not only one of his earliest surviving works but also provides us with a glimpse into history – reminding us that even revered symbols can become targets for mischief and decay over time. This intriguing piece invites contemplation about our relationship with public art and how it can be both celebrated and defaced throughout generations.
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