The chair of the Victorian Society in Wales has protested against recent calls to have the stolen statue in a Cardiff park replaced with modern art.
The statue in Thompson's Park, Canton, was reported as stolen earlier this month. Yesterday on the blog we featured a call from councillors in Canton to see the stolen Victorian statue by Sir William Goscombe temporarily replaced with a contemporary offering from the local community.
According to our poll, 85% of people believe a temporary replacement should be erected, and 60% of respondents believe the replacement should be something modern – with the majority believing this should come from a local artist.
But Elaine Davey, chair of the Victorian Society, said the suggestion to replace 'Joyance' with a modern statue would be deterimental to the memory of the Canton sculptor – Goscombe – who was commissioned to make the park centrepiece.
In a letter to Guardian Cardiff, Davey said:
"As the Chair of the Victorian Society in Wales I must protest on behalf of all admirers of the work of Sir William Goscombe John RA at this suggestion to replace Joyance with a modern statue.
"Sir William's importance to Cardiff, Wales and the UK may become clear to those ignorant of his achievements, after this brief account of his life and work."
Davey continues to list the legacy of the Cardiff-born artist who would celebrate his 150th birthday this year. She ends the letter:
"As a proud Welshman whose contribution to Wales, and particularly Cardiff, has been inestimable we should be celebrating [Goscombe's] very impressive legacy, especially in Canton within metres of his birthplace. The 'city fathers' of a century ago supported the advancement of this very talented man. Our current 'city fathers' should be ensuring that Sir William Goscombe John's reputation and standing is fully recognised and promoted. We should never countenance a move to replace a cast of this fine example of the great man's work.
"Finally the statue is recorded as one of the primary reasons for Registering Thompson's Park as a Grade II park in the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Landscapes, Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales. Its replacement may affect this recently achieved status."
About the statue
The statue of a boy, named 'Joyance', was reported by South Wales Police as stolen on 31 July this year, leaving a pair of jagged feet in its place in Thompson's Park.
Yesterday we reported how park lovers were left saddened by the empty spot in the fountain in the Canton park and the local community were eager to see a temporary replacement while another statue was made.
Police are continuing to investigate the theft.
In their letter, the Victorian society give some background information on the sculptor and the statue's significance.
Sir William was born at 3 Union Street (now a car park in Gray St.) Canton. His career began in the Bute workshops at Cardiff Castle, where he served an apprenticeship with his father before moving to London to the Nicholls studio, Lambeth School of Art and Royal Academy Schools.
After being awarded a gold medal by the Royal Academy he studied with Rodin, and won a Gold Medal at the Paris Salon of 1901.
Joyance was commissioned by Charles Thompson (who gifted the park to Cardiff) in the year that Sir WG John was made an Associate Member of the RA, after which his fame and standing as a sculptor grew. It is said, that the figure commemorates the death of the son of a family friend.
He became the country's leading sculptor, in the early twentieth century and was later knighted for his services to Wales and Welsh Art, awarded the Gold Medal by the Royal Society of British Sculptors and enjoyed official honours from France and Belgium.
There are examples of Sir William's work all over the world from Baghdad (hopefully still) to Calcutta and Cape Town.
His many important commissions in Wales include; the Investiture Regalia for King Edward VII, the Hirlas Horn, the ceremonial tools and other items for the foundation of the National Museum, the sculpture of St David in our capital City Hall, Lord Tredegar astride Sir Briggs and Principal John Viriamu Jones in the University.
After the Great War, Sir William became the most prominent sculptor of memorials, the most notable ones are at Port Sunlight and Newcastle upon Tyne, along with many across Wales, including that of Evan and James James, the father and son who wrote our National Anthem, in Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd.
Sir William was awarded the Gold Medal by the Royal Society of British sculptors and enjoyed official honours from France and Belgium. He presented over 50 important pieces of sculpture and art to the National Museum.
Commenting on the complaint, Canton councillor Richard Cook said:
"I'm afraid the Victorian Society have got the wrong end of the stick!
"We are caling for a temporary modern replacement while a full replacement copy of the original statue is sourced by the Council.
"I think the area left by the crude hacking off of the statue looks rather sad, just a pair of feet left on a plinth. We have many talented artists in Canton, at Llanover Hall and at Chapter. I'm sure that an artist, together with input from children at the two nearest schools, Ysgol Treganna and Randnor Road Primary, could produce a temporary replacement. It may be modern but it could be an interpretation of Joyance.
"I know that the Council will take many months to get a replacement in place, as there may be insurance claims to sort out and funding to obtain. While this is done it would be great to get the local community involved in a temporary replacement."
What do you think about the stolen statue by Sir William Goscombe and the response from the Victorian Society? Add your comments below and enter your vote into our poll on how the statue should be replaced here.
