8 Responses to Four Seasons

1. Sharon Bonin-Pratt says:

   December 11, 2017 at 7:33 pm

   Thanks for posting all the statues – really beautiful.

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   • Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist says:

     December 13, 2017 at 9:37 am

     You’re welcome Sharon. I thought I only had two and a half of them and then I found the other two. Silly of me to think I had neglected to take them.

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     • Sharon Bonin-Pratt says:

       December 13, 2017 at 9:48 am

       When you first posted that comment, I kept wondering which half? You really did get great photos. Such interesting statues. Only winter is male, only winter looks old and sad.

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     • Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist says:

       December 14, 2017 at 10:10 am

       Next time I go I will try and work out who they are and what the symbolism is. I thought he might represent the end of life, carrying garlic to ward off evil spirits but I can’t work out what is in his right hand.

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2. Sharon Bonin-Pratt says:

   December 15, 2017 at 5:26 pm

   In Winter’s right hand is a dead or dying bird. Its head is listing to one side as if broken, its right wing hangs straight down, and its left wing is bent over atop its head. Took me a long look to figure it out. I thought the plant in his left hand was radishes and couldn’t understand why he’s carrying them. But I don’t understand garlic either, if that’s what he’s holding. Do you know the symbolism?

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   • Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist says:

     December 15, 2017 at 5:50 pm

     I had to find out if they were garlic (possibly for warding off evil spirits) or radishes (which are a winter crop). The dead bird I thought may signify an end and a beginning. In my search I came across “The Four Seasons also date from 1883 when they were part of
     the same group of eight marble statues imported from Italy as La
     Ballerina and the Boy extracting a thorn. The latter is currently being
     restored in situ.
     The Four Seasons are part of a long tradition of allegorical figures of
     the seasons. This tradition dates back at least until the 16th century
     and the figures are represented in many art forms from paintings by
     Caravaggio to Meissen figurines. Universal to them all are some key
     elements as follows:
     Winter is always represented by an old man, and the other
     three seasons by nubile young women
     Spring always carries newly cut flowers, Summer holds a
     scythe and Autumn incorporates a reference to the vintage
     Thus in the Four Seasons at the Royal Botanic Gardens, we have
     Spring holding newly cut roses, Summer with scythe by her side and
     a swag of lilies, and Autumn with grapes by her side and cup at her
     lips. Winter allegorically is normally shown as an old man in furs
     often by a fire. In this case, we have a distinguished if rather dour
     figure holding symbols of winter in the form of pine cones and a dead
     bird.
     Both Summer and Spring had been resident in ‘the Graveyard’ for
     some time. Summer had lost her head, and it had been lost as well.
     Summer’s torso had also been broken away from her legs. Spring had
     been decapitated, and her hands damaged.
     The process of conserving these two statues was a complicated one.
     Where small parts were missing, we could reinstate. With larger
     elements such as the recreation of Summer’s head we had to work off
     19th Century images of the Gardens, which were of variable quality.
     But happily, the creative and carving skills of Jacek Luszcyk, who
     had already carved La Ballarina’s head, were up to the task. Unlike
     La Ballarina, of which we had excellent photos from another copy of
     the statue, the poor quality photo of Summer has meant that it has
     been more of a challenge. But Jacek has accurately achieved the form
     and feel of the original head, and inevitably brought his own creative
     skills to ensure it reads correctly. He also rejoined her lower legs
     to her body, and reconstructed her sickle and bouquet. Jacek also
     returned Spring’s decapitated head to her shoulders, and repaired her
     hands.” from http://www.icssydney.com.au/media/docs/Heritage_Marble_Statuary_Article.pdf
     Turns out you were right about the bird and neither of us right re plant in hand. I found this fascinating and thank you for causing me to look at this more closely.

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     • Sharon Bonin-Pratt says:

       December 15, 2017 at 6:24 pm

       Thank you for doing the research, Irene. This was really interesting. I would never have imagined so much restoration work. The craftsmen did a fabulous job.

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     • Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist says:

       December 15, 2017 at 10:47 pm

       I would never have known.

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