Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW : 1870 - 1907)(about) |
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Saturday 30 May 1896
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1 correction by Marghanita - Show corrections
Statuette of Sir Henry Parkes
Sir Henry Parkes, besides ¡having ¡been often under the eye of the photographic camera, and often delineated by the pencil or brush of the artist, was occasionally represented by the art of the sculptor. The «statuette, which we illustrate, is the work of Signor Sani, and was presented by Sir Henry to Mr. Holden, an old friend. Mr. Holden considers that this statuette does Sir Henry more justice than any of his portraits, photographic or otherwise, as it hides no defects, and represents the man as he really was. Sir Henry himself expressed his satisfaction with the
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A Statuette of Sir Henry Parkes.
(Photo, by the Crown Studios, George-street, Sydney.)
sculptor's efforts. When he gave ¡Mr. Holden the statuette Sir Henry explained, in reply 'to an in- quiry as to the peculiar way he carried his head, .that it was not a natural or involuntarily acquired habit. It was, he said, the result of a blow from an iron bar wielded by a brute of a man. Sir Henry was only 8 or 9 years old at the time, and he was laid up many weeks in consequence. The result of the blow was a shortening of the sinews on one side of the neck, thus causing the tilt of the head. Though he considered that the statuette was a good representation of himself, he would not keep it in the house. "It would be a piece of arrogance for me to keep it in the house," he said. "It is a very pretty piece of sculpture, and I have given it to you because it will be kept safe froim injury. If the public should ever deem me ito be worthy of a statue, it is for
¡tihem to choose whether it shall toe with or without wings. Everything will come right some day, and I, like the rest of mankind, will he re- warded according to my work-I am quite content with that." The reference to wings, it may be observed, is due to the fact that the original design of the statuette was at first adorned with acces- sories, such as a mass of rock in apparent con- fusion, and forming a sort of pyramid, on the apex of which was a globe representing the world, on which stood the figure, the outstretched wings of a phoenix forming the background. Mr. Holden told him that the wings were magnificent. "Oh, yes," replied Sir Henry, "I dare say they were, but that is a matter of taste. Some people would prefer a flying dragon as being more in keeping with the subject." The sculptor of the statuette was Signor Sani, of Booth-street, Annandale. Mr. Holden intends to have replicas prepared for dis- posal.