King Charles unveils statue of Queen Elizabeth that weighs almost two tonnes; know about the stonemason who carved it
King Charles III, on Wednesday, unveiled the first statue of Queen Elizabeth II since her death at the entrance of York Minster. The 6 feet and 7 inches sculpture was made to celebrate the late Queen’s unprecedented 70 years on the throne and was completed in August, a month before she died on September 8.
At the unveiling ceremony, The King said, “The late queen was always vigilant for the welfare of her people during her life. Now her image will watch over what will become Queen Elizabeth Square for centuries to come – a constant example of the duty and care for others, and for our community, which is the calling and the duty we all share.”
According to BBC, The King, accompanied Queen Consort Camilla, was also presented with a maquette of the statue after a service inside the cathedral.
Weighing almost two tonnes and made from French Lepine limestone, the statue depicts the Queen wearing Garter robes and the George IV State Diadem. She can also be seen holding the orb and sceptre — the symbols of authority. While it currently sits in a niche at the west front of the Minster, the sculpture will eventually stand in a new public square.
According to telegraph.co.uk, Charles III said that he and Camilla were “deeply touched” to have been asked to unveil the statue. “When this statue was first planned five years ago, during a reign of unprecedented duration and achievement, it was intended as a celebration of the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee,” he said.
He added, “Now, as we have witnessed, with great sadness, the passing of that reign, it is unveiled in her memory, as a tribute to a life of extraordinary service and devotion.”
The statue was designed and carved Richard Bossons, a cathedral stonemason, who revealed that it was his first portrait piece. With an early interest in the creative arts, Bossons completed a pre-degree foundation course at Bournville College but realised that fine art was not for him. He then tried stonemasonry and realised it was the outlet for his creative desire.
Studying at Weymouth College from 1995 – 1997, Richard obtained an NVQ3 in stonemasonry, carving and letter cutting. Since then, he has made many caricatures or grotesques for cathedral gargoyles. Richard started work at York Minster in 2011. His role encompasses all aspects of masonry, carving, fixing and conservation work on the medieval cathedral.
“I hope everybody likes it. It is the best I could pull out of myself. Hopefully, I have done justice to the Queen and the King likes it and I have done justice to the front of the building,” he said.
He also opened up about some nerve-wracking moments during the sculpting. The work involved the limestone being cut machines to his design and then he spent six months refining it with his chisel. “I am hugely relieved and it will be nice now to go back to my bread-and-butter work,” he said.
Britain’s King Charles III unveils a statue of Queen Elizabeth II at York Minster, in York, England (Source: AP)
Adding that the various depictions of Queen Elizabeth over the years have “been a hit and miss”, he said, “I wanted to get a sense of her longevity on the throne over 70 years, but a more mature upright figure, so I have softened her features over the process.”
During the King and Queen Consort’s visit to York, a man also threw eggs in the direction of the royal party. None of the three eggs hit the royal couple and the man was detained police.
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