Prince Albert's statue, Leinster Lawn

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Where: Dublin, , Ireland

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When: Unknown

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Prince Albert and four others, this could make for an interesting Friday. I wonder where it is now? I am intrigued by the orientation of this Lawrence photo, we do not get a portrait presentation very often. (Edit - I have had a look and there are some but it is a very low percentage)

With thanks to all the amazing contributions today, including inputs from Niall McAuley, B-59, sharon.corbet, beachcomberaustralia and Houses of the Oireachtas it is confirmed that this statue is still on Leinster Lawn, close to the entrance to the Natural History Museum in Dublin. The Prince Albert statue, together with the companion allegorical sculptures representing Art, Science, Industry and Agriculture, is by John Henry Foley (1818-1874) and seemingly one of the last of its type in a municipal public setting in the capital....


Photographer: Robert French

Collection: Lawrence Photograph Collection

Date: 1865-1914 (likely not before 1870s however)

NLI Ref: L_CAB_01225

You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie

Info:

Owner: National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 17347
robertfrench williamlawrence lawrencecollection lawrencephotographicstudio glassnegative nationallibraryofireland leinsterlawn leinsterhouse merrionstreet dublin leinster ireland statue johnhenryfoley princealbert bronze art science agriculture industry naturalhistorymuseum allegoricalsculpture lawrencephotographcollection

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    domenico milella

    • 03/Jun/2016 07:51:18

    Nice shot.

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 03/Jun/2016 07:56:17

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/30555923@N08 Thank you.

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    Niall McAuley

    • 03/Jun/2016 08:08:10

    Per the DIA, this is by: Name: FOLEY, JOHN HENRY * Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, LEINSTER LAWN, PRINCE ALBERT STATUE Date: 1868 Nature: Bronze.

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    B-59

    • 03/Jun/2016 08:10:32

    It's still on Leinster Lawn, now next to the Natural History Museum storyscope7test.ssl.co.uk/objectstories/2856 www.dublininquirer.com/2016/01/06/brushing-up-have-you-ev...

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    Niall McAuley

    • 03/Jun/2016 08:11:10

    Foley also did Goldsmith in Trinity: Statue of Oliver Goldsmith, Trinity College And Father Mathew in Cork! He designed the O'Connell Monument in O'Connell street, which was completed after his death. Hamilton AND Burke in trinity too, plus Grattan in College Green!

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    B-59

    • 03/Jun/2016 08:12:40

    It was moved in 1923 archiseek.com/2014/1868-prince-albert-statue-leinster-hou...

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    B-59

    • 03/Jun/2016 08:16:41

    A photo of the museum with the statue in the background: www.panoramio.com/photo/66447822

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 03/Jun/2016 08:18:39

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/66311327@N05 I refuse to believe that it is still there! If it is, I have missed it a 1,000 times or more?

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    Niall McAuley

    • 03/Jun/2016 08:22:50

    At the always readable comeheretome, we have a picture from a news story of an attempt to blow up this statue in 1874. [Edit: beaten to the rest of this!!]

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 03/Jun/2016 08:25:17

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley Wow - first I missed Parke. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/9562178892/in/photolist-rg7SLX-fyYEDj-h77c9m Now this one - not very observant!

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 03/Jun/2016 08:31:26

    Some day soon we should meet as a group and prepare a full inventory of all Statues, Sculptures, Statuettes and Figurines on the Kildare Street - Merrion Street campus. Volunteers needed.

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    Niall McAuley

    • 03/Jun/2016 08:44:20

    In this Bing aerial view you can see the dead zoo behind (labeled Parliament), Albert in front of it on Leinster lawn, and the permanent Cenotaph where Albert used to stand in the middle of the Lawn (which replaced the blot on the landscape Sharon includes above).

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    Niall McAuley

    • 03/Jun/2016 08:46:28

    At B-59's storyscope link, it says the statue is of: Albert on a plinth with four young male figures below. These figures have attributes representing the Prince's intersts Careful now!

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    Niall McAuley

    • 03/Jun/2016 08:58:04

    Actually, Sharon, while several sites agree he was moved in the 20s, I think the blot was plonked on the lawn without moving Albert, see this O'Connor shot. Albert is still there in the background in the middle of the round paths and beds as in the GeoHive OSI 25", while the blot is surrounded by grass, no round beds. I think Albert was moved later to make way for the permanent monument.

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 03/Jun/2016 08:58:40

    The Lawrence Photographic Project - Prince Albert 1990 - 1991 Photo from our Catalogue. I think it is the current location.

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    Niall McAuley

    • 03/Jun/2016 09:16:34

    Seriously, though, the four figures are Art, Science, Agriculture and Industry. I see Industry at left with a pliers, Science right with a telescope, Art in the middle with his portfolio. Agriculture must be behind the plinth.

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    Niall McAuley

    • 03/Jun/2016 09:39:12

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland In that 1990 shot, we can see Agriculture holding a shepherd's staff. Edit No, in closeups below, it is Industry holding an iron bar! Agriculture is holding a lamb, with a sheaf of wheat and a sack or corn or flour at his feet

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    sharon.corbet

    • 03/Jun/2016 10:04:00

    [https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley] Archiseek seems to agree in their article about the cenotaph. This cenotaph was replaced with a permanent installation by Raymond McGrath in 1950. The 1872 memorial to Prince Albert, visible in the background, was moved to one side of Leinster Lawn at this time.

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    sharon.corbet

    • 03/Jun/2016 10:08:52

    There are close ups of the statues available here. Science even has a camera.

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    sharon.corbet

    • 03/Jun/2016 10:15:49

    The OPW also has an article on the statue in their June 2004 issue of Obair. "The figures of the four youths, a shepherd, a tradesman, an explorer and an artist are beautifully modelled. Each figure is finished in superb crisp detail. The young explorer, who represents science, holds a telescope. The shepard cradles a lamb under his arm. The artist is dressed in a smock and carries his portfolio. The blacksmith, representing Industry, has his sleeves rolled up and bears the tools of his trade. They also mention that there was restoration in 2002-4: The final part of the project was to undertake restoration work on the bronze figure of Prince Albert and this was completed in April 2004. The figure was removed by CAST on a Saturday morning in March this year and returned two weeks later. His two-week absence was noted at the time in the Irish Times in the letters page under the heading ‘Where is Prince Albert?’ and his return acknowledged therein a week later ‘Prince Albert is back’ with the suggestion that he had been ‘Out for a stroll? Gone to see relatives? Off visiting the statues of Parnell and Thomas Moore?’.

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    ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

    • 03/Jun/2016 10:26:42

    Was the statue ever close to the 1908 one of Queen Victoria ? And is there a photograph of the two together ? Please ! https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/8409924813/ Ed: As you were - I see from the old 25" map the two statues were separated on either side of Leinster House

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 03/Jun/2016 10:38:08

    [https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] No is the easy answer - the Prince is at the back of Leinster house which is the building at right angles to Library towers in this photo. Have you ever been to Ireland? I was just thinking that you now know so much about us that you would have no trouble finding your way around! Queen Victoria at the front - Prince Albert at the back

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    Niall McAuley

    • 03/Jun/2016 10:39:18

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia No, Victoria was at the front door, and Albert has always been on the lawn out the back (apart from the 2 week holliers Sharon records above)

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    Niall McAuley

    • 03/Jun/2016 10:44:16

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/129555378@N07 Interesting closeups of the 4! Science holds a telescope, there is a globe at left, he has one foot on a large box camera (in 1868!), but what is the other instrument? A cabinet with two dials, a lever and a knob... Not a ship's chronometer, too early for any sort of radio, maybe a barometer/thermometer?

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    ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

    • 03/Jun/2016 10:48:42

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley Thanks, I edited before I saw your comments. Yes I have been to Ireland twice, yonks ago, but know things much better from this NLI photostream and the wonderful 25" map. Recent photo via https://www.flickr.com/photos/lizinitaly/ on flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/lizinitaly/5061850831/

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    Houses of the Oireachtas

    • 03/Jun/2016 11:04:21

    The statue is indeed in the Leinster House complex on the Merrion side. The statue itself is quite close to the Natural History Museum. As far as we are aware, and we could be wrong, it is last remaining royal statue in Ireland.

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    ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

    • 03/Jun/2016 11:42:58

    Via megazoom™, there is a 1871 date engraved under the statue.

    F. H. FOLEY, R.A. LONDON, 1871
    See note and/or megazoom™. Which seems to differ from the DIA's 1868.

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 03/Jun/2016 11:53:06

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/oireachtas Thanks - much appreciated.

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 03/Jun/2016 12:05:02

    In the Irish TImes of Friday June 7th 1872 - the Prince of Wales unveiled an as yet unfinished memorial to his father Prince Albert. https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 03/Jun/2016 12:52:16

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/129555378@N07 https://www.flickr.com/photos/oireachtas Sharon, I see from your linked piece from "Obair" that it is believed that plaster casts of the four youths were present at the Dail in August 1921 - see below. They are now in DIT at Bolton Street Dublin https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/17068860698/in/photolist-s1jnBG The things you learn here - fascinating!

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    Wendy:

    • 03/Jun/2016 19:15:34

    wonderful sleuthing again! Queen Victoria was consigned to RHK and then Dangain at one stage -and now in the land of Beachcomber?

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    ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

    • 04/Jun/2016 02:26:22

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/lizinitaly Indeed! Our Dear Queen Victoria's statue is in Sydney, NSW at -33.8726227, 151.206907 .

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 04/Jun/2016 07:53:47

    One of our best postings ever, in my opinion. It has just been added to our 100,000+ views album, our 14th entry. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/6136023633/in/album-72157651136879037/ Check out our most viewed photos below. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/sets/72157651599255125

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    silverio10

    • 05/Jun/2016 20:01:36

    Buena serie de fotos antiguas ,

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    domenico milella

    • 06/Jun/2016 08:14:30

    Beautiful shot.