Godfrey Sykes Memorial (UEB contracted)
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- Synopsis
- Waist high metal railings surround the tiered square base of the memorial. Above the railings and the tiered base are four relief bronze castings on each face. The four castings show a head and shoulders relief of Godfrey Sykes, an inscription about his life, a relief of the tools of his trade and an inscription about the monument. Above the stone base and the castings, the memorial, through a series of graduated banding, becomes a tall circular column made of terracotta (Italian for Ĺ“baked earth and made from natural clay), approximately 6 metres high. On the column are three main bands of decoration encircling the column at regular intervals that depict figures at the stages of youth (top band), maturity (middle band) and old age (lower band) in the style of a Greek frieze. These 3 bands are separated by relief decoration of foliage and other decorative designs that overlay a pattern of vertical ridges. Above the last of the vertical ridge patterns, the column widens out slightly and is highly decorated with scrolls and acanthus leaves. Above this is a plain area of terracotta that forms the support base of a large copper urn that sits on the very top of the memorial. The tactile image shows the basic shape of the memorial with the bronze relief and three main bands of decoration shown as textures. The metal railings have been shown with the base of the memorial behind them omitted. Godfrey Sykes (1824-1866) was one of Sheffield's famous craftsmen. He was apprenticed to a Sheffield engraver and trained in decorative metalwork techniques. He was a talented designer and won many awards, gaining a national reputation for his work. In 1859 he moved to London where he supervised the decorative design of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Queen Victoria and Price Albert took great interest in this new museum and visited Sykes at the museum and at his home. Sykes died, aged 41, of Bright's Disease (acute kidney failure). He is buried in Brompton Cemetery in London, beneath a stone designed by Gamble, one of Sykes assistants, who worked with him in London. This monument is by James Gamble and based on some of Sykes' own designs. It was erected in the park in 1875. Terracotta was used to make the original gateways to the park at Winter Street and Western Bank. The Winter Street gateway and lodge were demolished in 1952 in order to construct the University Library. The Western Bank gateway can still be found at location 6 (South East Entrance Gates) of this tour.
- Copyright:
- 2011
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Excellent
- Publisher:
- RNIB
- Date of Addition:
- 05/09/17
- Copyrighted By:
- RNIB
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- Art and Architecture
- Submitted By:
- Ian Green
- Proofread By:
- N/A
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.