Public Monuments and Sculpture in Stoke-on-Trent & Newcastle-under-Lyme
Public Monuments and Sculpture in Stoke-on-Trent & Newcastle-under-Lyme
 

|  Index of all Stoke-on-Trent art |


Hanley Girl
at the Nat West Bank, Hanley
 

Location: Inside the National Westminster Bank, top of escalators, Market Square
Sculptor:
Walter Ritchie
Architect:
Wood, Goldstraw and Yorath
Unveiling: 1976
Commissioned by: National Westminster Bank
 

 

 

Description:

The scene depicted shows a female figure walking her dog against a background of pottery kilns and birds. The girl is shown in profile, her long hair swirling around her face and shoulders, she leans back to restrain and counterbalance the dog, a Staffordshire bull terrier, who strains at his leash, his front paws off the ground.

The style is naturalistic and figurative, the relief is carved with predominating rounded contours which contrast with areas of sharp delineation, for example in the stylised face and left hand of the girl, and the leading profile of the dog. The brick has been partially pre-moulded leaving a smooth surface on highlighted areas, and partially chiselled in others leaving markings more commonly associated with stone masonry.

 

Background:

The bank left the choice of design entirely to Walter Ritchie, who obtained the commission through the Bank's building surveyor.

Like many of his other works, the sculpture features elements of local significance within the Potteries. Apart from the pottery kilns formerly common throughout the area, the dog walked by the young girl is a Staffordshire breed.

 


 

Materials:

Part of work

Material

Dimensions

Relief

Proctor & Lavender Shepshed 10" handmade bricks 287cm high x 240cm wide x 21cm deep

 

 

|  Index of all Stoke-on-Trent art |


questions/comments/contributions? email: Steve Birks

3 July 2008