The Statue unveiling (A nice thread)

[Viviennemary]

I really liked Diana and I hope the statue will do her justice. I wonder if it will be televised live. I expect so.

I expect there will be footage for the evening news.

According to the Telegraph, the statue reflects Diana’s “youthful and playful” side and is informal as the princes wished it to be. Hopefully it will be a a fitting tribute. I’m looking forward to seeing it 😀

I wonder if she’s sitting cross legged or similar? Something really unusual for statuary?

@Viviennemary

I really liked Diana and I hope the statue will do her justice. I wonder if it will be televised live. I expect so.

it was done 3 days ago, dont you know? no one knows that, there were only 3 of them there.

What...been done????

@bluebell34567

It probably would have been better that way all things considered.

Diana made such a huge impact whilst she was alive, I'm really glad that both of her sons are getting the tribute to her that they wanted.

She has to be the perfect example of someone who was not without fault, but was truly admired and loved by many. I hope that the statue is beautiful, and that the unveiling doesn't become a pantomime in the press.

It would be nice if the statue was a bit interactive - there’s a great statue of Nelson Mandela on the waterfront at Cape Town. It’s part of a larger set, featuring South Africa’s Nobel Prize winners, but the Mandela one has its hand hanging loosely by its side, at child height. The hand is rubbed into polished bronze because of the number of children that have their photo taken holding his hand - I think it’s really lovely. So anyway, if her sons and their families (and others too, obviously) could sit beside her or something would be nice.

@Serenster

It would be nice if the statue was a bit interactive - there’s a great statue of Nelson Mandela on the waterfront at Cape Town. It’s part of a larger set, featuring South Africa’s Nobel Prize winners, but the Mandela one has its hand hanging loosely by its side, at child height. The hand is rubbed into polished bronze because of the number of children that have their photo taken holding his hand - I think it’s really lovely. So anyway, if her sons and their families (and others too, obviously) could sit beside her or something would be nice.

That sounds fabulous!

Serenster I've got a pic of me with that statue of Nelson Mandela. It's almost a comical one, I don't mean that in a horrible way, it's just so natural. And the one of Desmond Tutu also.

@OrrisRoot

I wonder if she’s sitting cross legged or similar? Something really unusual for statuary?

I think it could be, because the box it's currently in, from the Telegraph photo, looks relatively small. Not sure you could fit a standing figure in that. Did other people think it looked small? (Not a criticism)

It didn’t look very tall, iyswim, and that could be because it is seated, or not on a plinth so she is standing on the ground as it were 🤷‍♀️

I’ve just found the picture of the box, and yes I’m sticking with the prediction that she’s seated. I don’t think there is enough breadth there for a bench, though, so maybe she’s sitting on a plinth?

Yes, maybe sitting cross legged on the floor or similar. As if she's actually sitting out enjoying the garden. That would be rather nice! And then children visiting the gardens could sit beside her.

The new statue of Emily Davison shows her seated on a bench and gesticulating, as though making a point to someone seated next to her - as though they are in conversation. It is really effective, and of course people can sit next to her and 'converse'.

www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/19357342.emily-davison-statue-unveiled-epsom/

I can imagine a statue of Diana bending over to talk to a child or take flowers from a child.

Like this:

www.google.com/search?q=diana+taking+flowers+from+child&rlz=1C1CHBD_en-GBGB845GB845&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=3h-tjiUjQ24U3M%252ClAp2e2eVhiMCxM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kTmAjUQOUCqqAh6jFjJQ78j_g7YIQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi4r4TrpL_xAhWMbsAKHUceDHsQ9QF6BAgMEAE#imgrc=3h-tjiUjQ24U3M

Would be nice if she was sitting on the plinth :) bit more casual. will be surely v hard to show her beauty, only photos and video seem to get it. Maybe a statue of her as a young girl before marriage, when she was free and had more possibilities ahead of her?

There is a controversial statue of Diana in Walsall, initially black, then green when algae formed on it, now toned down to an off-white. Outside an undertakers.

My bet is that she'll be on a bench. Hope it captures her essence.

This is a lovely shot of a young Princess Diana - something similar to that (very approachable, not remotely formal) would be nice

That's a lovely picture and I'd agree it would be nice if the likeness was more "informal".

That would be beautiful. I had never thought about it being interactive in any way until you mentioned it @Serenster but I think it would be perfect. She was very much a people person, and it would be lovely if the statue reflected that.

I would not want to be the sculptor. Imagine the pressure to get this right 😱

@bluebell34567

I hope it isn't Diana sitting on a bench. It would be too much like that sad photo of her looking lonely sitting outside the Taj Mahal. Still you never know. One of Diana accepting flowers would be nice.