Sunday, December 13, 2015

Vimy Sculptures

These are the plaster cast scale models Walter Allward used while devising his plans for the Vimy Ridge Memorial in France, site of a horrendous battle during the First World War, one that was won by Canadian troops. The sculptures have a tremendous power, and are well situated here in Regeneration Hall.

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42 comments:

  1. DebDecember 13, 2015 at 12:02 AM

    Very powerful and emotional sculptures. I actually got chills looking at them.

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  2. RevrunnerDecember 13, 2015 at 5:49 AM

    Like alabaster, I thought.

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  3. Janey and Co.December 13, 2015 at 6:52 AM

    These would certainly be something to see.

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  4. from MadridDecember 13, 2015 at 7:11 AM

    I did not know this story. I know it thanks you.
    http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/vimy/index_e.shtml

    Tomás.

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  5. Luis GomezDecember 13, 2015 at 8:10 AM

    These are amazing! Thank you William.

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  6. EG CameraGirlDecember 13, 2015 at 8:14 AM

    Wow! These are amazing! They speak deeply without words.

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  7. LindaDecember 13, 2015 at 9:02 AM

    They are quite something!

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  8. NormaDecember 13, 2015 at 9:15 AM

    They are impressive!

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  9. TexWisGirlDecember 13, 2015 at 9:24 AM

    very emotion-filled.

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  10. LowellDecember 13, 2015 at 9:32 AM

    These will get your blood flowing...wow, such great artistry. You can feel the power. I find them very emotional.

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  11. RedDecember 13, 2015 at 10:03 AM

    We never realize how much work and effort is put into a major sculpture let alone the creativity to come up with the idea in the first place.

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  12. Valladolid Daily PhotoDecember 13, 2015 at 10:16 AM

    Love these shots!

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  13. MarleenDecember 13, 2015 at 10:18 AM

    They are very detailed.

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  14. SharonDecember 13, 2015 at 10:35 AM

    Those are beautiful and yes, very powerful.

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  15. VPDecember 13, 2015 at 10:39 AM

    It always interesting to see model like these: we can understand better the final work.

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  16. CloudiaDecember 13, 2015 at 10:43 AM

    Powerful funerary art, William








    Warm ALOHA,
    ComfortSpiral
    ><3 3 3('>

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  17. FrustratedmamaDecember 13, 2015 at 10:49 AM

    Fascinating!

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  18. CherylDecember 13, 2015 at 12:20 PM

    Imposing!

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  19. William KendallDecember 13, 2015 at 1:12 PM

    @Debs: they certainly have that effect.

    @Revrunner: possibly, yes.

    @Janey: they are, and it's an ideal space for displaying them.

    @Tomas: thank you.

    @Luis: you're welcome.

    @EG: Allward really did create a masterpiece with the monument, and these give it a very human, poignant touch.

    @Linda: that they are!

    @Norma: I quite agree.

    @Tex: they do have that effect.

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  20. William KendallDecember 13, 2015 at 1:16 PM

    @Lowell: they leave me humbled, seeing them.

    @Red: it took years to build the memorial. I'd love to see it for myself someday.

    @VDP: thank you!

    @Marleen: they are. These are about life sized. The ones carved into the memorial itself are larger.

    @Sharon: according to the stories I've heard, the irony is that when the Vimy Memorial fell into German hands during the Second World War, Hitler had the site safeguarded instead of destroyed- it didn't strike him as a glorification of the Allied victory in the First World War, but as a site of mourning.

    @VP: yes, that's true.

    @Cloudia: very powerful.

    @Shelly: indeed.

    @Cheryl: that too.

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  21. Jenn JilksDecember 13, 2015 at 1:38 PM

    You do find the most interesting photo-ops!!!

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  22. Small City ScenesDecember 13, 2015 at 2:15 PM

    How interesting to have the plaster casts. Interesting to me anyway.
    MB

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  23. Greensboro Daily PhotoDecember 13, 2015 at 2:26 PM

    The level of detail is amazing

    Janis
    GDP

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  24. Gemma WisemanDecember 13, 2015 at 2:31 PM

    Wow. These sculptures represent some dramatic human poses. Love the detail in the 5th and 6th photos.

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  25. DeniseinVADecember 13, 2015 at 5:18 PM

    Those are amazing sculptures beautifully photographed.

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  26. TamagoDecember 13, 2015 at 5:38 PM

    Great photos! Those are such beautiful and powerful sculptures!

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  27. Geoff WilkinsonDecember 13, 2015 at 6:25 PM

    Fantastic powerful work, as you say an horrendous battle...

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  28. Mari CollierDecember 13, 2015 at 7:46 PM

    The detail is amazing. No wonder the statutes make such a statement.

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  29. KayDecember 13, 2015 at 8:26 PM

    These are so striking. I can imagine the larger final ones are even more powerful. Wow!

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  30. Elizabeth EdwardsDecember 13, 2015 at 9:10 PM

    i am always amazed by the details in statues, reminds me of star wars when harrison ford gets made into stone, i know that is not the wording. but i think you will know what i mean. so life-like. very cool. ( :

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  31. LindaDecember 13, 2015 at 10:13 PM

    Quite wonderful! Nicely photographed too.

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  32. KarlDecember 14, 2015 at 9:21 AM

    Beautiful and detailed sculptures, very well photographed.

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  33. PerthDailyPhotoDecember 14, 2015 at 10:19 AM

    Goodness me they really are a poerfull series of sculptures William, would love to see them together in France.

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  34. William KendallDecember 14, 2015 at 11:31 AM

    @Jennifer: this museum has plenty of those.

    @MB: interesting to me too!

    @Janis: it is.

    @Gemma: thanks!

    @Denise: thank you.

    @Tamago: someday I'd like to see their finished counterparts on the Vimy Memorial.

    @Geoff: like so many battles of that war. Pure hell on earth.

    @Mari: they certainly do.

    @Kay: that part of France is a place that has become sacred for my country.

    @Beth: I can see that.

    @Linda: thank you!

    @Karl: thanks!

    @Grace: I would too.

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  35. cieldequimperDecember 14, 2015 at 2:09 PM

    One day I'll have to go to Vimy...

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  36. orvokkiDecember 14, 2015 at 2:23 PM

    These are really beautiful sculptures. Your photos are lovely.

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  37. The Happy WhiskDecember 14, 2015 at 3:34 PM

    Impressive.

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  38. Jan K. alias AfanjaDecember 15, 2015 at 9:29 AM

    What a great collection of sculptures, wonderful.

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