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
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 17347
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
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Owner: National Library of Ireland on The CommonsSource: Flickr Commons
Views: 17347
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domenico milella
Nice shot.
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/30555923@N08 Thank you.
Niall McAuley
Per the DIA, this is by: Name: FOLEY, JOHN HENRY * Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, LEINSTER LAWN, PRINCE ALBERT STATUE Date: 1868 Nature: Bronze.
B-59
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...
Niall McAuley
Foley also did Goldsmith in Trinity:
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!
B-59
It was moved in 1923 archiseek.com/2014/1868-prince-albert-statue-leinster-hou...
B-59
A photo of the museum with the statue in the background: www.panoramio.com/photo/66447822
sharon.corbet
It was removed to make room for: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/16307907087/in/photolist-qR5hBR-fyYEDj-dPa4DF-dkHjbn-bPSTBD-bmWkpg-GPym5C
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
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?
Niall McAuley
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!!]
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
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!
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
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.
Niall McAuley
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).
Niall McAuley
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!
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/16314536@N08/5145526666 https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley from https://www.flickr.com/photos/16314536@N08/ photostream.
Niall McAuley
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.
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
The Lawrence Photographic Project - Prince Albert 1990 - 1991 Photo from our Catalogue. I think it is the current location.
Niall McAuley
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.
Niall McAuley
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
sharon.corbet
[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.
sharon.corbet
There are close ups of the statues available here. Science even has a camera.
sharon.corbet
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?’.
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
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
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
[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
Niall McAuley
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)
Niall McAuley
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?
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
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/
Houses of the Oireachtas
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.
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
Via megazoom™, there is a 1871 date engraved under the statue.
See note and/or megazoom™. Which seems to differ from the DIA's 1868.National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/oireachtas Thanks - much appreciated.
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
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
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
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!
Wendy:
wonderful sleuthing again! Queen Victoria was consigned to RHK and then Dangain at one stage -and now in the land of Beachcomber?
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lizinitaly Indeed! Our Dear Queen Victoria's statue is in Sydney, NSW at -33.8726227, 151.206907 .
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
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
silverio10
Buena serie de fotos antiguas ,
domenico milella
Beautiful shot.