Campaign to Restore Rodin's Burghers of Calais
April 2006The cherished Rodin sculpture in Victoria Tower Gardens was in desperate need of repair by 1999, when The Art Fund led the campaign to undo years of inadequate maintenance as well as vandalism. The sensitive restoring of the work, in line with Rodin’s original methods, was a triumphant success and has provided a conservation model for the Royal Parks Agency.
The campaign was instigated in 1999 by Sir Nicholas Goodison, former Chairman of the Art Fund, who was deeply concerned about the state of the sculpture. Over the years, the Burghers had been subject to various protective treatments by the Office of Parliamentary Works, and thick layers of unsightly black wax had built up on the sculpture. The wax had obscured the original bronze and much of the fine detail, and also attracted graffiti enthusiasts. The sculpture had deteriorated markedly, partly because the graffiti had scored through the soft wax, and partly because it had been used as a climbing frame. After detailed consultation with various interested bodies and experts the Art Fund decided to restore the sculpture and commission a new plinth to coincide with its centenary.
When the Art Fund first bought the work they had consulted with Rodin, and the Office of Parliamentary Works, and decided to install the Burghers in Victoria Tower Gardens. Positioned close to the great Victoria Tower of the Palace of Westminster, the sculpture was strikingly silhouetted against the Gothic architecture – an effect that Rodin had intended. The campaign to restore the work drew upon the Art Fund’s expertise as a guardian of such works – every effort was made to ensure that the restoration remained true to Rodin’s original. The conservation, by Rupert Harris Conservation, was undertaken in four stages: the removal of the black wax and other surface coatings, repairing of the structural and vandal damage, patination and waxing. Each stage was closely observed by artists and academics, and the work even revealed new insights into Rodin’s working methods.
The Art Fund also commissioned a new plinth for Rodin’s sculpture. The original plinth was very high (4.9m) and had been based on a heroic Renaissance model, whose design had reputedly been suggested and approved by Rodin when he visited England in 1913. Following the removal of the sculpture for safekeeping in the Second World War, and its return to the gardens in the 1950s, the statue was put on a replacement plinth of just 66cm. The new pedestal bore specially-commissioned stone inscriptions by Eric Gill. It was welcomed at the time by those who had found the original plinth ‘absurdly high’. The only satisfactory way to see the group before, as one writer to The Times wryly observed in 1955, was from the top of a bus in winter time; in summer it had been shrouded in foliage. However, because of its rudimentary shape and low height, the replacement plinth quickly became a convenient climbing platform. Over time, the plinth grew worn and stained, and the lettering had to be re-carved several times.
After detailed consultation, a decision about the height of the new plinth was reached. The length and width of the plinth were increased very slightly and it now has a stepped structure with a wide base, reflecting the design of the upper portion of the original 16-foot plinth. The new plinth has the advantage of deterring people from climbing on the sculpture, without compromising the visual access which people have come to expect when viewing Rodin’s historic and figurative group. The Art Fund wanted to focus public attention on the sculpture, while also keeping a sense of its grandeur. The Royal Parks also redesigned and re-landscaped the area around the sculpture so that it now occupies a central position in the garden.
The campaign was hugely successful, and prompted much positive media coverage, including a Blue Peter special and an Artsworld documentary. The stature of Rodin (1840-1917), one of the greatest sculptors since Michelangelo, and his impact upon the development of modern British sculpture once more became the object of attention. People also responded afresh to the sculpture, which is an extremely moving creation; it depicts an event in 1347 when, having laid siege to the town of Calais for eleven months, King Edward III struck a deal with its desperate population. Calais would be spared, if six of its eminent burghers were willing to sacrifice their lives and hand over the keys to the city. Six duly came forward. However, Edward’s wife Queen Philippa was so moved by their courage that she persuaded her husband to spare their lives.
The monumental sculpture was unveiled in May 2003 by Sir Nicholas Goodison and his wife Judith, who had generously funded the costs of the conservation and the replacement plinth. Shortly after the unveiling the newly restored sculpture was temporarily transferred to the sculpture court of the Hayward Gallery, as part of Saved! – a major exhibition celebrating the centenary of the Art Fund.
Rodin’s Burghers of Calais now occupies pride of place in Victoria Tower Gardens. The Art Fund’s successful initiative, which set the standard for the future care of public sculpture in this country, will ensure that this gift to the nation will be enjoyed by the public for many years to come.
