3-074-737 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Statue of the Queen, for Government Offices, Sydney, New South Wales, 1883. Two '...marble statues, the sculptor of which is Signor Giovanni Fontana...have been executed for the adornment of the halls of the New South Wales Government Offices at Sydney, by order of Sir Saul Samuel, Agent-General of that Colony in London. The first is a statue of her Majesty the Queen, attired in her Royal and Imperial robes of State, with the Crown upon her head, and wearing also the ribbon of the Garter and the Star of India; she holds the sceptre in her right hand, and a scroll in her left. The second of these statues is that of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales...Our Illustrations of both will show the graceful dignity of their attitudes, and in both instances Signor Fontana has produced a characteristic likeness of the Royal personages who are thus represented, while he has treated their figures and costumes with artistic ideality, and has been been remarkably skilful in rendering the texture of velvet, ermine, and satin, in the Queen's robes...These statues, which have been inspected and highly approved by the Prince of Wales, are worthy of general admiration; that of the Queen was exhibited at Milan'. From "Illustrated London News", 1883.