Description
Book SynopsisThis book is the companion to Public Sculpture of Edinburgh, volume 1, ‘The Old Town and South Edinburgh’, extending the coverage to the First New Town and its environs, and beyond that to the former independent burgh of Leith. It provides a comprehensive and detailed account of the entire spectrum of public sculptures to be found in these parts of the city, including free-standing commemorative monuments, architectural carvings, and contemporary site-specific interventions. Based on extensive new research, the text is structured as a catalogue raisonné, with each entry comprising a detailed description of the work, an account of how it came to be commissioned, and an analysis of its cultural significance. There are also separate appendices dealing with important works that have been lost or destroyed, minor works and sculptural coats of arms. The study of public sculpture is now recognised as offering a range of new insights into the development of the urban realm. Those insights are brought together here to provide a comprehensive resource for historians, architects, urban planners and conservators, and a narrative history that will be of interest to all who care about Edinburgh, and wish to celebrate its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Trade Review‘The Depth of detail, the lavish use of black and white photographs and the helpful indices and artists’ biographies are exemplary... These two handsome volumes will be key reference works for years to come but they are also of great interest to the public.’
Fiona Pearson,
Journal of the Scottish Society for Art History'These lovely books are all that anyone could ask for, and more. [...] Overall,
Public Sculpture of Edinburgh is a remarkable achievement and a superb testament to the vitality of this great city and its public art.'
William S. Rodner,
SCOTIA: Interdisciplinary Journal of Scottish Studies
