Historical information
The Queen Victoria Monument by Australian Sculptor Sir Bertam MacKennal has a granite plinth with 4 bronze picture plates and granite bowl. The work was once a drinking fountain with decorative bronze spouts and taps set into the columned granite base.
Queen Victoria died 22 January 1901, this work was commissioned and gifted to the City of Ballarat by the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. This work marked the end of her long reign on the English throne and as Empress of the British Empire including Australia.
This magnificent statue commemorates the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 - 1901), and is located in Sturt Street, Ballarat, just outside the Town Hall.
Significance
Listed on the Victorian Heritage Database (B7272), the Queen Victoria Monument is significant to the people of Victoria.
The Queen Victoria Monument, Ballarat, is a key component of Sturt Street in Ballarat, a notable streetscape of the late Victorian era. It represents a pivotal element in the extensive series of public art forms erected during the late nineteenth century in the heyday of Ballarat and added to during the twentieth century.
The Queen Victoria Monument is an over life size statue mounted on a freestone pedestal containing four bronze relief interpretive plaques. It is situated in front of the Ballarat Town Hall, a prominent position on the wide notable picturesque boulevard of Sturt Street. The presence of the monument in the notable Sturt Street gardens precinct together with other significant statues is of importance.
The Queen Victoria Monument at Ballarat is historically significant as a fine example of a tribute to the reigning monarch, initiated by citizens, on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee, prior to her death. It reflects the fervour of the citizens of the town that played an important role in the development of the State of Victoria during the latter half of the nineteenth century.
The Monument is important for its aesthetic characteristics in that it displays a combination of excellent examples of the artistry and technical skills of the sculptor E.B. MacKennal. These elements are evident in design, carving, and in casting of relief modelling.
Physical description
Sicilian marble statue of Queen Victoria with hand outstretched holding the Sovereign's Orb with small gold angel figure. Includes granite plinth with 4 bronze elements and granite bowl.
Inscriptions & markings
Victoria Dei Gratia Britt Regina Fid. Def. Ind. Imp. 1900. Incorporates four fine bronze scenes from her life; Accession to the Throne (1837), Coronation (1838), Diamond Jubilee (1897) and Signing of the Constitution of the Australian Commonwealth (1900).
