Memorial to the Great Exhibition of 1851
Durham, Joseph
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Date
1863Description
Overall monument without plinth; Durham's most important commission was the Memorial to the Great Exhibition of 1851, which consists of a fountain surmounted by a bronze statue of Prince Albert and four figures representing the corners of the world. It sits in front of the Royal Albert Hall on the south side (Door 12). At Prince Albert’s insistence the profit from the highly successful Great Exhibition was used to purchase land in South Kensington, familiarly known as "Albertopolis". He produced the outline scheme for the area, in which developed a series of national museums and university institutions and the Royal Albert Hall. The statue of Albert surveys his creation. The monument is inscribed with statistics from the exhibition, including the number of visitors and exhibitors (British and foreign), and the profit made. Funds from the foundation are still used for art and science scholarships. Source: Grove Art Online; http://www.oxfordartonline.com/ (accessed 6/14/2012)
Type of Work
sculpture (visual work); monumentSubject
architecture, human figure, rulers and leaders, Albert, Prince Consort, consort of Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, 1819-1861, Great Exhibition (1851 : London, England), Nineteenth century, Neoclassical
Rights
Rights Statement
Licensed for educational and research use by the MIT community only