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| Queen Victoria, Watson museum, Rajkot, Gujarat.upload.wikimedia.org |
The above image: The statue of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen Victoria. The statue was unveiled by H.E. the Lord Curzon of Kedleston. The statue is the work of Sir. Alfred Gilbert, one of the most gifted and prolific of British sculptors. There is an almost identical black version in the Great Hall, Winchester, England-by the same sculptor (see the image below)..........
The Watson museum is in the Queen Victoria memorial institute buildings located in Jubilee Garden, Rajkot, Gujarat. it was named in fond memory of Colonel John Watson in 1888. He served as the British Political Agent of Kathiawar Agency for 8 years long years till his death in 1889. Watson took deep interest in history and archaeology and in the course of his long stay here he had made vast collections of artifacts, etc., of historical importance related to Gujarat and its ruling classes and they are all well preserved here. The museum building was completed in 1893, and opened to the public by Governor Lord George Harris of Bombay Presidency. The statue of Her Majesty Queen Victoria was unveiled by none other than H.E. the Lord Curzon of Kedleston in 1897, Curzon is known to have developed one of the highest golf courses in the world - Naldhera near Shimla (Himachal Pradesh).
The Watson museum, has several divisions for convenient public viewing - paintings and manuscripts, textile, inscription, sculptures, coins, anthropology, folk embroidery and handicraft, musical instruments, woodwork, natural history and rocks and minerals. An important annual event that takes place in the museum is known as the Bhartiya Shilp Samruddhi. It is a week-long celebration that takes place here during the second week of January. It is well attended by the people.
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| Statue of Queen Victoria, Winchester Great Hall, England, .flickr.com |
Above image: The statue of Queen Victoria in the great hall, Winchester, England. Sculpted by Gilbert, the one in Rajkot is very much similar to this statue which is dark in color. Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Known as the Victorian era, her reign of 63 years and seven months was longer than any previous British monarch...............................
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| British artist Sir. Alfred Gilbert, .royalacademy.org.uk/ |
Above image: Alfred Gilbert studied under J. E. Boehm, and in 1875 went to Paris, entered école des Beaux Arts and studied under P. J. Cavelier for 3 years. On advice from Leighton he returned to England, 1884. In 1887 he completed Fawcett Memorial, also Queen Victoria Memorial, Winchester. Obtained commission for Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain (Eros) in Piccadilly Circus, unveiled 1893; it was a famous work done by him. He became the first artist in Britain to cast in aluminum, using it to make the statue of Eros which crowns his Shaftesbury Memorial in Piccadilly Circus, London. Appointed Professor of Sculpture at R.A., 1900. Gilbert executed many statuettes often incorporated in large compositions, also goldsmith's work and medals. Received commission for Alexandra Memorial, completed 1932. Resumed membership of R.A. 1897, Knighted 1932. His work was increased by his status as the favorite sculptor of the royal family (Gilbert was a friend of Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Louise).
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