Equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington, Glasgow

Last updated
The statue has become known for having traffic cones placed upon its head Duke of Wellington coned statue Glasgow.jpg
The statue has become known for having traffic cones placed upon its head

The equestrian statue of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington located outside the Royal Exchange, now known as the Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, Scotland, is one of Glasgow's most iconic landmarks.

Contents

It was sculpted by Italian artist Carlo Marochetti and erected in 1844, thanks to public subscription to mark the successful end in 1815 of the long French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. Since at least the 1980s it has been traditionally capped with a traffic cone by members of the public. The statue is a Category A listed sculpture.

Statue

Statue of the Duke of Wellington on his horse Copenhagen in front of the Royal Exchange, in Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow. Statue of the Duke of Wellington on his horse Copenhagen unveiled in front of the Royal Exchange, in Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow in 1844.jpg
Statue of the Duke of Wellington on his horse Copenhagen in front of the Royal Exchange, in Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow.

The statue of the Duke on his favourite horse Copenhagen was sculpted by Italian artist Carlo Marochetti and erected in 1844. The statue is a Category-A listed monument. [1]

Traffic cone

In recent times, the statue has become known for being capped with a traffic cone. [2] Adorning the statue with a cone had continued over many years: the act was claimed to represent the humour of the local population and was believed to date back to at least the 1980s. [3] [4] [5] [6]

In 2005, Glasgow City Council and Strathclyde Police took a stance of asking the public not to replace the cone, citing minor damage to the statue and the potential for injury when attempting to place a cone. [4] [5]

In 2011, the Lonely Planet guide included the statue in its list of the "top 10 most bizarre monuments on Earth". [7]

In 2013, Glasgow City Council put forward plans for a £65,000 restoration project, that included a proposal to double the height of its plinth and raise it to more than six feet (1.8 metres) in height to "deter all but the most determined of vandals". [8] Their planning application contained an estimate that the cost of removing traffic cones from the statue was £100 per callout, and that this could amount to £10,000 a year. [6] The plans were withdrawn after widespread public opposition, including an online petition that received over 10,000 signatures. [9] [10] As the council indicated that action against the practice could still be considered, [11] the art-political organization National Collective organised a rally in defence of the cone. [12]

In 2014, in support of the Scottish Independence referendum, the statue was fitted with a "Yes" cone as well as a flag fitted in the statue's stirrup. [13]

The cone was replaced with a gold painted one during the 2012 Olympics as a celebration of Scotland's contribution to the record haul of gold medals won by Team GB. [14] A replica of the statue, complete with cone, appeared at the 2014 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, [15] and a gold cone was then again placed on the statue to mark the success of the games. [16]

In 2015, Glasgow City Council tested hi-tech CCTV software worth £1.2m, checking to see whether it could automatically detect people putting cones on the statue, which it could. [17]

On Brexit Day (31 January 2020), pro-European supporters placed a cone painted to represent the EU flag on the statue's head. [18]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the statue was adorned with a cone and a blue surgical mask around the statue's ears to reflect the pandemic and lockdowns in the country. [19]

In March 2022, in support of Ukraine and as a protest against Russia's invasion of it, the statue was fitted with a cone with the colours of the Ukrainian flag. [20]

In June 2023, to promote his exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art, artist Banksy declared that the statue was his "favourite work of art in the UK". [21] On 21 June, the Scottish climate change campaigning group This Is Rigged placed a cone with their logo on the statue, and invited Banksy to support their cause. [22]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glasgow Prestwick Airport</span> Airport in South Ayrshire, Scotland

Glasgow Prestwick Airport, commonly referred to as Prestwick Airport, is an international airport serving the west of Scotland, situated one nautical mile northeast of the town of Prestwick Scotland, and 32 miles southwest of Glasgow, Scotland. It is the less busy of the two airports serving the western part of Scotland's Central Belt, after Glasgow Airport in Renfrewshire, within the Greater Glasgow conurbation. The airport serves the urban cluster surrounding Ayr, including Kilmarnock, Irvine, Ardrossan, Troon, Saltcoats, Stevenston, Kilwinning, and Prestwick itself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Square</span> Civic square in Glasgow, Scotland

George Square is the principal civic square in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is one of six squares in the city centre, the others being Cathedral Square, St Andrew's Square, St Enoch Square, Royal Exchange Square, and Blythswood Square on Blythswood Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banksy</span> Pseudonymous England-based graffiti artist, political activist, and painter

Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based street artist, political activist, and film director whose real name and identity remain unconfirmed and the subject of speculation. Active since the 1990s, his satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine dark humour with graffiti executed in a distinctive stenciling technique. His works of political and social commentary have appeared on streets, walls, and bridges throughout the world. His work grew out of the Bristol underground scene, which involved collaborations between artists and musicians. Banksy says that he was inspired by 3D, a graffiti artist and founding member of the musical group Massive Attack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stratfield Saye House</span> Country house in Stratfield Saye

Stratfield Saye House is a large stately home at Stratfield Saye in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire. It has been the home of the Dukes of Wellington since 1817.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow</span> Art museum in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom

The Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) is the main gallery of contemporary art in Glasgow, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlo Marochetti</span> French sculptor

Baron Pietro Carlo Giovanni Battista Marochetti was an Italian-born French sculptor who worked in France, Italy and Britain. He completed many public sculptures, often in a neo-classical style, plus reliefs, memorials and large equestrian monuments in bronze and marble. In 1848, Marochetti settled in England, where he received commissions from Queen Victoria. Marochetti received great recognition during his lifetime, being made a baron in Italy and was awarded the Legion of Honour by the French government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fernhill, South Lanarkshire</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Fernhill is a residential neighbourhood in the Scottish town of Rutherglen in South Lanarkshire; it is situated south of the River Clyde and borders the Rutherglen neighbourhoods of High Burnside to the north and Cathkin to the east, the Glasgow district of Castlemilk to the west, and the open lands of Fernbrae Meadows to the south. Its location on a steep incline which is part of the Cathkin Braes range of hills offers panoramic views over the south and eastern parts of Greater Glasgow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Mossman</span> English sculptor

John G. Mossman was one of a number of English sculptors who dominated the production and teaching of sculpture in Glasgow for 50 years after his arrival with his father and brothers from his native London in 1828. His father William Mossman (1793–1851) was also a sculptor, and a pupil of Sir Francis Chantrey. He was trained both by his father and under Carlo Marochetti in London.

Television in Scotland mostly consists of UK-wide broadcasts, with regional variations at different times which are specific to Scotland. The BBC and ITV networks both began broadcasting in the country during the 1950s. There were further expansions in the early 1960s with the arrival of Grampian, Border and BBC2 television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Exchange Square</span> Public square in Glasgow, Scotland

The Royal Exchange Square is a public square in Glasgow, Scotland. The square lies between Buchanan Street and Queen Street, opening out Queen Street and Ingram Street to the south of George Square. It is also easily accessible from Buchanan Street on the west side of the square, through two prominent archways at Royal Bank Place. The square is a landmark due to its distinguished architecture which attracts many visitors. It is one of six squares in the city centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Dalglish (politician)</span> Scottish Radical politician

Robert Dalglish was a Scottish Radical politician. He was the Member of Parliament MP for Glasgow from 1857 to 1874.

<i>Richard Coeur de Lion</i> (statue) Sculpture by Carlo Marochetti

Richard Coeur de Lion is a Grade II listed equestrian statue of the 12th-century English monarch Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart, who reigned from 1189 to 1199. It stands on a granite pedestal in Old Palace Yard outside the Palace of Westminster in London, facing south towards the entrance to the House of Lords. It was created by Baron Carlo Marochetti, an Italian sculptor whose works were popular with European royalty and the nobility, though often less well regarded by critics and the artistic establishment. The statue was first produced in clay and displayed at The Great Exhibition in 1851, where it was located outside the west entrance to the Crystal Palace. It was well received at the time and two years later Queen Victoria and Prince Albert headed a list of illustrious subscribers to a fund that aimed to raise money for the casting of the statue in bronze.

This is a list of events in Scottish television from 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STV Group</span> Scottish media company

STV Group plc is a media company based in Glasgow, Scotland. Beginning as a television broadcaster in 1957, the company expanded into newspapers, advertising and radio; after completing a restructuring in 2010, STV Group is active in broadcast television, video-on-demand and television production. The company is a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statue of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Victoria Embankment</span> Statue in London by Carlo Marochetti

A bronze statue of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, also known as Brunel Monument or the Isambard Brunel Monument, by Carlo Marochetti, stands on the Victoria Embankment in London, England, at the west end of Temple Place. The statue rests on a Portland stone pedestal, with flanking screens and benches, by the architect Richard Norman Shaw.

The Drinker is a statue by graffiti artist Banksy, not to be confused with the stencil of the same name, a graffiti artwork of a rat drinking a cocktail, on a wall at North Beach, Lowestoft, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statue of Rocky Balboa (Žitište)</span> Statue of movie character

The Statue of Rocky Balboa is a bronze statue in Žitište, Serbia, dedicated to Rocky Balboa, main character from 1976 American sports drama film Rocky, portrayed by Sylvester Stallone. It was made by Croatian artist Boris Staparac, it was erected in 2007. Canadian director Barry Avrich made a documentary film Amerika Idol which depicts the events that preceded the creation of the statue, as well as the ceremony of its installation. The film also features Sylvester Stallone who portrayed the character of Rocky in eight films and A. Thomas Schomberg who made the famous Rocky statue in Philadelphia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Smith (Glasgow architect)</span> Scottish architect

James Smith (1808–1863) was a 19th-century Scottish architect who specialised in very large country mansions.

References

  1. "QUEEN STREET DUKE OF WELLINGTON STATUE (LB32823)". portal.historicenvironment.scot. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  2. Leadbetter, Russell (12 December 2019). "Those were the days – the Duke of Wellington statue, 1950 and 1959 (NB: no cone)". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  3. "Hat's not on, says lord provost". BBC News. 2 August 2000. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Historian unamused by city's joke about the duke". The Herald. 25 January 2005. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  5. 1 2 Todd, Stephanie (16 February 2005). "Council in road cone statue plea". BBC News.
  6. 1 2 Farrell, Mike (11 November 2013). "Glasgow's iconic 'cone head' statue could be raised to stop vandals". STV News. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
  7. McCloskey, Katy (29 September 2011). "Scottish sights among world's best". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  8. Hall, John (12 November 2013). "'An iconic part of local heritage': Glasgow Council drops £65,000 plans to raise Duke of Wellington statue that regularly has traffic cones placed on its head". The Independent. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  9. "Plans to end cone tradition on Glasgow's Wellington statue 'to be withdrawn'". BBC News. 11 November 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  10. McFadyen, Siobhan (12 November 2013). "Cone Man the Bavarian". glasgow.stv.tv. STV News. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013.
  11. "Doubt remains over Glasgow Wellington 'cone hat' statue". 12 November 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  12. "Glasgow rallies to save Wellington Cone". 12 November 2013. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  13. "Duke of Wellington nails his Yes colours to the referendum mast". HeraldScotland. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  14. "Duke of Wellington is awarded gold in honour of Scotland's success at the Olympics". Daily Record. 10 August 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  15. McDonald, Gillian (16 March 2017). "Why Glasgow's Duke of Wellington statue was allowed to keep his cone". i . Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  16. "Glasgow, Scotland, UK. 31st July, 2014". Alamy. Retrieved 23 February 2022. In celebration of the success of the Commonwealth Games, the regular and iconic red and white traffic cone on the head of the Duke of Wellington statue (normally put there as a student prank) has been replaced by one painted gold. The statue, with a traffic cone on top, outside the Gallery of Modern Art in Royal Exchange Square has been used as an example of Glaswegian humour and is a continuing interest to tourists and locals alike.
  17. "New city surveillance system sparks call for urgent law change". The Ferret . 5 November 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  18. "Scottish statue given pro-European makeover for Brexit Day". The National. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  19. Williams, Craig (28 April 2020). "The Duke of Wellington statue now has a face mask to accompany his traffic cone". GlasgowLive. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  20. "Glasgow's Duke of Wellington statue gets new Ukrainian themed traffic cone". Glasgow Live. 7 March 2022.
  21. "Banksy to stage first solo exhibition in 14 years in Glasgow". BBC News. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  22. Fitzpatrick, Tara (23 June 2023). "Iconic statue cone that inspired Banksy show replaced". STV News. Retrieved 7 July 2023.

Further reading

55°51′36″N4°15′07″W / 55.86009°N 4.25199°W / 55.86009; -4.25199