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Field Visit
Date 6 February 2006
Event ID 612884
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/612884
The central group is composed of a standing draped female figure, representing Science, with a skeleton globe on her right, and holding a lamp in her outstretched left hand. To either side is a seated naked male. The man on her right (east) is an engineer or metal-worker. He is bearded and holds a wheel; beside him is a model of Nasmyth's steam hammer. At his feet is a boy with a miner's pick over his left shoulder on which he carries a safety helmet. The man on the left of Science (west) represents textile manufactures, and is seated on bales of cloth. He carries a bobbin and spindle, and at his feet is a boy with a spinning wheel.
The smaller group on the east represents Natural History, and is composed of a female figure seated on a camel, with a lion's skull at her feet. To her side is a boy with a pelican and a serpent.
The smaller group on the west represents Applied Arts, and is composed of a seated female figure holding a palette and brushes in her left hand. To her left is a large urn and to her right, sitting in front of a column with an Ionic capital, is a boy in the process of chasing a casket.
The chief stone of the building, then being built as the Industrial Museum, was laid by Prince Albert on 23 October 1861. At that time only a third of the building had been contracted for, the east wing and and a small part of the centre. The architects were Captain Francis Fowke, R.E., and Robert Matheson. The main block was finished in 1871-5, the west wing was built under W. W. Robertson in 1885-9.
In March 1889, 'The Builder' reported that the Museum of Science and Art (which it was then called) was completed apart from the three groups of sculpture above the cornice over the main entrance. The sketch models had been approved of by the local representative of Her Majesty's Board of Works and Sir R. Murdoch Smith, R.E., the curator of the Museum. In June 1889 'The Builder' reported that the sculpture groups were in place.
Inspected By : AA Campbell
Inscriptions : None
Signatures : None Visible
Design period : Building 1861-1889; sculptures 1889
Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN0501)
