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Statue of Elizabeth II (Winnipeg)

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Coordinates: 49°53′04″N 97°08′44″W / 49.88441°N 97.14550°W / 49.88441; -97.14550
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Statue of Elizabeth II
Map
ArtistLeo Mol
Year1970 (1970)
MediumBronze
SubjectElizabeth II
Dimensions2.73 m (9.0 ft)
LocationWinnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Coordinates49°53′04″N 97°08′44″W / 49.88441°N 97.14550°W / 49.88441; -97.14550

A statue of Elizabeth II by Leo Mol was installed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Description

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The bronze sculpture[1] of Elizabeth II is 2.73 metres (9.0 ft) tall.[2][3]

History

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Leo Mol completed the statue in 1970. The sculpture was originally installed in the Steinkopf Gardens at the Centennial Concert Hall, in downtown Winnipeg.[4][5][6]

Although Mol had most of his bronze works cast in Germany, he did also perform some of his castings himself, in his studio. “Among the many casts done there was a giant nine foot figure of Queen Elizabeth for the City of Winnipeg – an astonishing achievement for a homemade foundry.”[7]

In July 2010, Elizabeth II visited Winnipeg to rededicate the statue, which was relocated to the Government House grounds.[8] Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh also attended the dedication ceremony.[4]

The sculpture, along with another depicting Queen Victoria, was toppled on Canada Day,[9] 1 July 2021, following the Canadian Indian residential schools gravesite discoveries. [10] The statue of Elizabeth II was brought down by and left covered in yellow rope, as well as covered in red paint.[1][11][12] Although both queens were constitutional monarchs, meaning they did not make policy or law and were bound to follow the advice and direction of their ministers and parliamentarians, and Canada had ceased to be a colony of Britain in 1931, meaning Elizabeth II reigned in Canada distinctly as Queen of Canada, the protesters who tore the statues down were said to have believed Elizabeth and Victoria represented Canada's colonial history.[13][14]

As of July 2022, the statue of Elizabeth II was being restored while the statue of Queen Victoria was damaged beyond repair and will not be replaced.[15] The statue was put back in place on 2 June 2023, the 70th anniversary of Elizabeth II's coronation.[16]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Sinclair, Leah (3 July 2021). "Boris Johnson condemns protesters who defaced Queen statue in Canada". Evening Standard. ISSN 2041-4404. Archived from the original on 7 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Leo Mol". University of Manitoba – Libraries. Archived from the original on 25 March 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  3. ^ "ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST: Leo Mol was Manitoba's best-known and most honoured sculptor". Winnipeg Free Press. 7 July 2009. ISSN 0828-1785. OCLC 1607085. Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2021. His works around the city include the nine-foot Queen Elizabeth II in the courtyard of the Manitoba Centennial Centre...
  4. ^ a b "Self-Guided Walking Tour" (PDF). Manitoba Government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Steinkopf Gardens". Winnipeg Architecture Foundation. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Historic Sites of Manitoba: Queen Elizabeth II Statue (Kennedy Street, Winnipeg)". www.mhs.mb.ca. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  7. ^ Duval, Paul, Leo Mol Sculpture Garden, Leo Mol Sculpture Garden Trust,Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 1993, p 78
  8. ^ "Queen visits Winnipeg today". Grand Forks Herald. Forum Communications Company. 2 July 2010. ISSN 0745-9661. OCLC 1751382. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  9. ^ SINGH, KANISHKA (2 July 2021). "Statues of Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II toppled in Winnipeg". The Globe and Mail. The Woodbridge Company. Reuters. ISSN 0319-0714. Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Statues of Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth toppled in Winnipeg on Canada Day". Toronto Sun. Postmedia Network. ISSN 0837-3175. OCLC 66653673. Archived from the original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  11. ^ "2 statues of queens toppled at Manitoba Legislature". CBC News. 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  12. ^ Morris, Jim (3 July 2021). "Statues of Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria toppled in Canadian protests". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. ISSN 0312-6315. OCLC 226369741. Archived from the original on 8 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  13. ^ Cecco, Leyland (2 July 2021). "Queen Victoria and Elizabeth II statues toppled in Canada amid anger at deaths of Indigenous children". The Guardian. OCLC 60623878. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  14. ^ Goldstein, Caroline (2 July 2021). "Canadian Protesters Toppled Statues of Queens Victoria and Elizabeth II to Protest the Commonwealth's Treatment of Indigenous Peoples". ARTnews. Penske Media Corporation. ISSN 0004-3273. OCLC 586878190. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  15. ^ "Queen Victoria statue beheaded by protesters can't be repaired, Manitoba government says". CBC News. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  16. ^ Lambert, Steve (2 June 2023). "Statue of Queen Elizabeth repaired and reinstalled at Manitoba legislature, 2 years after vandalism". CTV News. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
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