Probably by Edward Hodges Baily, 'Victory', 1826-32
About the work
Overview
This Victory, along with the female figures to its left and right, is the work of the British neoclassical sculptor, Edward Hodges Baily. Together with another five similar figures, they adorn the façade of the National Gallery.
In 1826, Baily received a large order for sculpture, including four statues of ‘Victories’, for Marble Arch, which was to be erected in celebration of Britain’s defeat of the French in the Napoleonic Wars. Although Baily completed his commission, not all of his work was used as originally intended; some parts ended up adorning other government buildings. During the construction of the National Gallery, its architect, William Wilkins, was forced in a cost-cutting exercise to recycle masonry and statuary from other projects. This explains the presence above the West Entrance of this statue personifying Victory, accompanied by two female figures, even though all three pieces were initially created for the Marble Arch commission.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- Victory
- Artist
- Probably by Edward Hodges Baily
- Artist dates
- 1788 - 1867
- Part of the group
- West Entrance Sculptures
- Date made
- 1826-32
- Medium and support
- Portland stone
- Acquisition credit
- Commissioned by the Office of Works for the Marble Arch, and installed on the Gallery by 1838
- Inventory number
- H211
- Location
- Gallery Exterior: West Entrance
- Collection
- Contextual Collection
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.
Images
About the group: West Entrance Sculptures
Overview
The National Gallery’s West Entrance is surmounted with a figure of Victory, framed by another full-length, draped female figure in each of the niches to left and right. As this pair of flanking figures do not carry any attributes, it is hard to identify who they represent. All three statues are the work of the British neoclassical sculptor Edward Hodges Baily. They were not made for the National Gallery, but were commissioned by King George IV for other structural projects in central London - in the case of the Victory figure, for the Marble Arch, a monument intended to celebrate Britain’s defeat of the French in the Napoleonic Wars.
Works in the group
More works by Edward Hodges Baily
