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.

@Roussette

The gardens are just beautiful

They are indeed. I honestly think it would have been much nicer to have just redone the gardens and added a plaque or maybe something simplistic like a wishing well in her memory. The statue is not a good tribute.

@Roussette

I think it's OK, the only thing I'd like changed is her hair. It just looks a bit uninspiring.

I've just watched the footage of the event. There was a lot of warmth there. It looked a very friendly warm chat amongst them all.

Diana's sisters have aged, but I know I have a lot too!

What’s going unsaid is that this month would also have marked Charles and Diana’s 40th wedding anniversary.

I’ve just been deducting 40 from all of their ages to see what age they all were when the Spencers became royal in-laws. 26 & 24 for the sisters and Charles Spencer was just 17.

Oh my god, yes Ricki

I can't believe the sisters were that age back then because they were always sort of grown up looking, if that makes sense, and given that
I've just looked up their ages, I'm the same as one of them

Where has time gone????

My first thoughts were that it's horrible

It's not a nice statue at all.
It's a bit odd to have random children there. Whose idea was that ?

Well.... both Harry and William were consulted and said what they wanted all along the process, so it's what they want surely? And that's what matters.

The setting is lovely in the garden but I don't like this statue.

It doesn't look like her. The outfit is dreadful.

The sculptor has created some beautiful, thoughtful pieces in the past but I find this statue of Diana actually rather upsetting. There's no love in it.

www.ianrank-broadley.co.uk/works/portraits/

She was so vibrant and attractive but that is not captured here. It looks like it was created by someone who isn't connected to or inspired by the subject matter in any way - and the sculptor acknowledges on his website that he prefers the male form.

I wonder if any artist, writer or musician has ever done her justice in creating something in her memory.

Where is Michelangelo when you need him?

I wish I loved it but I don't.

It was always going to be an impossible ask to create something everybody likes though.

The thing I dislike the most is the greyness of it. It's such a cold colour and seems so totally at odds with her character.

The Times reports there is an engraved verse on the statue inspired by the words of Albert Schweitzer:

“These are the units to measure the worth
Of this woman as a woman regardless of birth.
Not what was her station?
But had she a heart?
How did she play her God-given part?”

People dressed 'older' in the 80s in their youth. Naice skirts and blouses and so on. It's quite ageing looking back.

Rousette, I agree that ultimately it's up to her sons what the statue is, but we're here to discuss it, free speech and all that.

I think with her expression, it's neither her non-smiling pensive expression (mouth closed, looking up) nor her dazzling smile. It's a kind of compromise, serious but mouth slightly open, expression that doesn't seem much like her.

I will say that there's no way I would ever have taken it on as a commission, however talented. So fraught as a subject.

Oh dear!

I wouldn't have recognised it as Diana.

@goldierocks

The Times reports there is an engraved verse on the statue inspired by the words of Albert Schweitzer:

“These are the units to measure the worth
Of this woman as a woman regardless of birth.
Not what was her station?
But had she a heart?
How did she play her God-given part?”

I like that inscription. It makes sense of the statue.

It just doesn’t do her justice. I know it was an almost impossible task but it’s such a shame that it doesn’t even come close to capturing her.
I love the setting though.

The gardens are indeed beautiful.

Thread about it in The Independent, including video of the unveiling.

I agree that ultimately it's up to her sons what the statue is, but we're here to discuss it, free speech and all that

I'm not trying to stop discussion by any means. I just wanted to say that I read they were very hands on with the design of the statue, and consulted all the way.

Everyone can have an opinion on it of course.

It must be a massively difficult undertaking to make a statue of someone as iconic as Diana. It’s ok. I just think she looks a bit stern. I still think something other than an actual likeness would have been better to avoid comparisons to the actual person.

@smilesy

It must be a massively difficult undertaking to make a statue of someone as iconic as Diana. It’s ok. I just think she looks a bit stern. I still think something other than an actual likeness would have been better to avoid comparisons to the actual person.

I agree. As I said earlier something like a wishing well would have worked so much better as no matter how hard anyone tried they wouldn't have captured her likeness. Although I do still think this particular effort wasn't as good as it could have been if they were set in stone on having a sculpture of her.

Apparently it is bronze (in Guardian article). I'm surprised by that. Not that I'm well informed about sculpting materials.

I'm in agreement with a lot of comments above. It's ugly, cold and crude and doesn't seem to me to represent the woman. Why not a delicate abstract piece, or a plaque, or even plant a tree? Very disappointing.

I agree my friend.

Hence my comment. 🤷‍♀️

Hello my friend! Sorry I didn't spot your name!
What a very poor memorial.

I think it is very very hard to capture the essence of someone in a statue.

The only person that always seems to bob on wasQueen Victoria. 🤷‍♀️

I too would have preferred a delicate abstract or a beautiful tree.

But if those two boys like it then happy days.