List of public art in Glasgow

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Public statues in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland, have been used to display the wealth and history of the city over centuries. The most prominent are those erected by the municipality or by public subscription, but others adorn the façades of the great commercial buildings.

The city's George Square contains a number of significant public statues and monuments.

Cathedral Square

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William II of Scotland (William of Orange)Cathedral Square, Glasgow1735UnknownEquestrian statue on pedestalBronze and stoneCategory AQ17567391Statue first erected at Glasgow Cross in 1735, at the expense of James Macrae, a Governor of Madras, and was moved to its present site in 1923.[1]

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James LumsdenCathedral Square, Glasgow1862John MossmanStatue on pedestalBronze and pink graniteCategory BQ17811583Lumsden was a stationer, local benefactor and Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1843 to 1846.[2]

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David LivingstoneCathedral Square, Glasgow1879John MossmanStatue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory BQ17811564Originally erected in George Square. Re-erected across from Provand's Lordship in 1959. Re-erected in current location in 1990.[3]

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Rev Dr Norman MacleodCathedral Square, Glasgow1881John MossmanStatue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory BQ17811590Cast by Cox & Son.[4]

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James White of OvertounCathedral Square, Glasgow1890John Mossman, completed by Francis LeslieStatue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory BQ17811577White was a solicitor, businessman and chemicals manufacturer.[5]
James ArthurCathedral Square, Glasgow1893George Anderson LawsonStatue on pedestalBronze on graniteCategory BQ17811569Arthur was a clothing manufacturer.[6]

Other figures portrayed include St Paul, St Peter and the Four Evangelists on the facade of the Barony North (Glasgow Evangelical) Church to the east of the square – 1878-80 by McCulloch of London.

The nearby Glasgow Necropolis is a "garden" cemetery opened in 1833, in imitation of Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, has a number of statues associated with the funerary monuments of the rich and famous buried there. Most of these are private or religious statues, but the hilltop location is dominated by a large monument to John Knox erected in 1825. It consists of a 12 ft high statue of Knox, designed by Robert Forrest, atop a high Doric column by Thomas Hamilton.

Charing Cross

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DateArtist / designerTypeMaterialDimensionsDesignationWikidataNotes

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Abstract mural (untitled)Bath Lane1972 (circa)Keith McCarterRelief muralConcrete260 × 2340cmQ11575530019, 130cm wide pre-cast concrete blocks, made in conjunction with R. Seifert Company and Partnership[7]


Custom House Quay

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La Pasionaria, Dolores IbárruriCustom House Quay1974-79Arthur DooleyStatue on pedestalIron and fibreglassCategory BCommissioned by the International Brigade Association of Scotland.[8][9][10]

Elder Park

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DateArtist / designerTypeMaterialDimensionsDesignationWikidataNotes

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John ElderElder Park1888Sir Joseph Edgar BoehmStatue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory BQ17811104[11]

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Isabella ElderElder Park1906Archibald McFarlane ShannanSeated statue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory AQ17568709Isabella Elder Statue [de] cast by JW Singer & Sons, stonework by DH & J Newall of Dalbeattie.[12]
HMS K13 Submariners memorialElder Park1922Robert GrayObeliskGranite[13]

George Square

George Square is Glasgow's central public square and was laid out in 1782, with houses appearing between 1784 and 1820. Many of these later became hotels, especially after the opening of Queen Street Station. Only one of the original houses remains - the Millennium Hotel beside the station. The square is now a magnificent public space dominated by the City Chambers, the former Post Office building, ex-Bank of Scotland and the Merchant's House.

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Sir John MooreGeorge Square1819John FlaxmanStatue on pedestalBronze and Aberdeen graniteCategory AQ17567464The Statue of Sir John Moore [de] was the first statue to be erected in George Square.[14]

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James WattGeorge Square1832Francis Leggatt ChantreySeated statue on pedestalBronze and Devonshire graniteCategory AQ17567460Statue of James Watt (Glasgow) [de][15]

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Sir Walter Scott Memorial ColumnGeorge Square1837John Greenshields (statue)
Alexander Handyside Ritchie (statue)
David Rhind (column)
Statue on column and pedestalSandstoneCategory AQ43374173The Walter Scott Memorial Column [de] was the first ever statue to Sir Walter Scott.[16]

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Queen VictoriaGeorge Square1854Carlo MarochettiEquestrian statue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory AQ17567473The Equestrian statue of Victoria (Glasgow) [de] was the first equestrian statue of a woman in Britain.[17]

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James OswaldGeorge Square1855Carlo MarochettiStatue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory BQ17792900[18]

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Sir Robert PeelGeorge Square1859John MossmanStatue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory BQ17792945[19]

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Albert, Prince ConsortGeorge Square1866Carlo MarochettiEquestrian statue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory AQ17567468Equestrian statue of Albert, Prince Consort (Glasgow) [de][20]

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Colin Campbell, 1st Baron ClydeGeorge Square1867John Henry FoleyStatue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory BQ17792870[21]

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Thomas GrahamGeorge Square1871William BrodieSeated statue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory BQ17792967[22]

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Robert BurnsGeorge Square1877George Edwin Ewing
James Alexander Ewing
James Alexander Ewing
Statue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory BQ17792930Cast by Cox and Son.[23][24]

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Thomas CampbellGeorge Square1877John MossmanStatue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory BQ17792852[25]

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William Ewart GladstoneGeorge Square1902Hamo ThornycroftStatue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory BQ17792886Originally erected in front of Glasgow City Chambers, it was relocated to the north side of George Square in 1923 to accommodate the Cenotaph.[26]

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Glasgow War MemorialGeorge Square1924Ernest Gillick (sculptor)
John James Burnet (architect)
Cenotaph, surround, two statues of recumbent lionsBronze and Portland stoneCategory BQ17792838[27][28]

Glasgow Harbour

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The RiseGlasgow Harbour2008Andy ScottSculptureGalvanised steel6m high[29]

Gordon Street

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Citizen FirefighterGordon Street2001Kenny HunterStatueBronzeCommissioned by the Strathclyde Fire Brigade, three months after it was unveiled (on 17 June 2001) the statue became a focal point for tributes to the firefighters who died in and after the September 11 attacks.[30]

Ingram Street

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DateArtist / designerTypeMaterialDimensionsDesignationWikidataNotes
George HutchesonFormer Hutchesons' Hospital, Ingram Street1649James ColquhounStatue in alcoveStoneCategory A[31]

Also on Ingram Street is the Italian Centre displaying rather classical looking modern statues by Alexander Stoddart. Inside the centre a distinctively modern man is rather amusingly struck by the same object of interest as his dog.

Kelvingrove Park

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DateArtist / designerTypeMaterialDimensionsDesignationWikidataNotes

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Stewart Memorial Fountain [de]Kelvingrove Park1872James Sellers (architect), John Mossman (sculptor).FountainSandstone, marble & graniteCategory AQ17576744[32][33]

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Saint Mungo as the Patron of Art and MusicKelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum1901George FramptonSculpture groupBronzeCategory A[34][35]

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South African War MemorialKelvingrove Park1906William Birnie RhindStatue on pedestalBronze and stoneCategory BQ17811618[36][33]

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Lord KelvinKelvingrove Park1913Archibald Macfarlane ShannanSeated statue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory BQ17799924[37][33]

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Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl RobertsKelvingrove Park1916Henry Poole after an original by Harry BatesEquestrian statue on pedestalBronze and stoneCategory AQ17576740Roberts Memorial [de][38][39]
Thomas CarlyleKelvingrove Park1916William Kellock BrownSculptureStone[33]

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Cameronians War MemorialKelvingrove Park1924Philip Lindsey ClarkStatue group on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory BQ17806647[40][41][9][33]
The PsalmistHoneyman Memorial Garden, Kelvingrove Park1972Benno SchotzSculptureBronze[33]

Partick Interchange

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DateArtist / designerTypeMaterialDimensionsDesignationWikidataNotes
G.I. BridePartick station2011Ranald MacCollStatueBronze resinBud Neill's G.I. Bride character from the Lobey Dosser series is depicted with her baby Ned, forever trying to thumb a lift from Calton Creek in Arizona back to Partick.[42]

Royal Exchange Square

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Duke of Wellington monumentRoyal Exchange Square1844Carlo MarochettiEquestrian statue on pedestalBronze and Peterhead graniteCategory AQ7981506Capping the statue with a traffic cone has become a traditional practice in the city but due to minor damage to the statue and the potential for injury, the practice has been discouraged by Glasgow City Council and Strathclyde Police.[43][44]

Springburn Park

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Unicorn & columnSpringburn ParkLate 19th centurySculpture on columnTerracottaCategory BQ17811040[45]

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James Reid (1823–1894)Springburn Park1903Goscombe JohnStatue on pedestalBronze and graniteCategory BQ17811051[46]

Victoria Park

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DateArtist / designerTypeMaterialDimensionsDesignationWikidataNotes
Partick & Whiteinch war memorialVictoria Park1922Francis William Doyle JonesStatue on obeliskBronze and stone8m tallCategory CQ77782061[47][48]

Woodlands Road

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Lobey DosserWoodlands Road1992Ranald MacColl (designer), Tony Morrow & Nick Gillion (sculptors)StatueBronzeStatue of cartoon characters created by Bud Neill. The statue depicts Lobey Dosser, the Sheriff of Calton Creek, taking in his handcuffed arch-enemy Rank Bajin, on his horse El Fideldo (Elfie) which only has two legs. Claimed to be the only two-legged equestrian statue in the world.[49]

Bibliography

  • McKenzie, R., Sculpture in Glasgow:an illustrated handbook Glasgow The Foulis Archive Press 1999 ISBN 0-9537149-0-X.
  • Williamson, E., Riches, A., and Higgs, M., The Buildings of Scotland: Glasgow Penguin Books London 1990 ISBN 0-300-09674-7.

References