John Flaxman, finished and later altered by Edward Hodges Baily, 'Minerva', by 1830, altered about 1834

Overview

At the eastern end of the Gallery, overlooking the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, is a statue of Minerva, the goddess of wisdom.

It was originally designed by the British neoclassical sculptor, John Flaxman, as a seated figure of Britannia, brandishing a spear and shield, to appear on Marble Arch, designed as a ceremonial entranceway by John Nash. Flaxman was chosen to provide the commemorative sculptural decoration, but after his death in 1826 this work was divided between his former pupil Edward Hodges Baily, Charles Rossi and Richard Westmacott. Work started in 1827 but was halted after the death of George IV and then scaled back after 1831, when the new king, William IV, in a cost-cutting exercise, got rid of its sculptural elements. These were repurposed at Buckingham Palace and the National Gallery.

Now blank, Minerva’s shield originally depicted the head of Lord Nelson, to commemorate his victory over Napoleon at Trafalgar. Baily transformed Britannia into Minerva by removing Nelson from the shield. The balustrade over the east front had to be strengthened to support the statue’s nine-ton weight.