Mary and Elizabeth
- Artist:
- Type: Sculpture
- Medium: Aluminium and steel
- Production Date: 2014
- Description: Mary and Elizabeth are one work made up of two separate pieces.
The University campus, with its view of Stirling Castle, was felt to be a highly appropriate location for this work as ‘Mary‘ refers to Mary, Queen of Scots, and ‘Elizabeth‘, to Elizabeth I, Queen of England. The works are sited facing each other. Mary stands with her back to the Castle, where she was crowned at just nine months old on 9th September 1543. She is defending it from Elizabeth, who stands in an elevated position on the hill, in a position of power and authority. The distance between the two sculptures alludes to the tension between the two cousins.
The artist was commissioned in 2015 by the Edinburgh Arts Festival to create a piece for the St. James Centre in the city. Although the final location of the work was in Princes Street Gardens, the initial inspiration‘ which linked King James VI/I with his mother Mary and Elizabeth, his grandfather‘s cousin - came from the first plan for the site. King James united the two, after their deaths, by acceding the throne in 1603. - Dimensions: Mary measurements: 90cm h x 320cm w x 76cm d. Elizabeth measurements: 350cm h x 200cm w x 200cm d
- Acquisition Note: With assistance from the NFA
- Digital Copy:A digital copy exists.
- Location: Sculpture Trail
- Related Material: AC/AF/D/7
- Accession Number: 2017.2
- Contact: University of Stirling Art Collection