Symbols of the Arts

Symbols of the Arts

  • Artist: Gordon Herickx  (1900-1953)
  • Date: c. 1936-37
  • Medium: Darley Dale stone
  • Reseach and Cultural Collections
  • Location: The Barber Institute of Fine Arts. To find this sculpture, you can either use its what three words location or use the campus digital map.

Gordon Herickx was commissioned to create sculptural reliefs for the newly built Barber Institute of Fine Arts in 1936. The four sculptures, carved in stone around the top of the building, are collectively known as the Symbols of the Arts. There is a harp-like stringed instrument, called a lyre, which represents music. A laurel branch representing the fine arts. A palm leaf, which through history has stood as a symbol of victory. The final symbol, which is a torch, represents civilisation.

Carved stone panel set into the wall of the Barber Institute of Fine Arts by Gordon Herickx featuring a carving of a laurel
Carved stone panel set into the wall of the Barber Institute of Fine Arts by Gordon Herickx featuring a carving of a lyre in context of building
Carved stone panel set into the wall of the Barber Institute of Fine Arts by Gordon Herickx featuring a carving of a palm
Carved stone panel set into the wall of the Barber Institute of Fine Arts by Gordon Herickx featuring a carving of a torch in context of building

 

Visual description

This is a series of four carved stone reliefs set into the walls of the Barber Institute of Fine Arts. There is one relief on the front of the building. Two on the left side of the building and one on the rear of the building. They are installed at height near the roofline. Each stone relief sits within the top tier of the wall above two tiers of windows. There is a line of pale stone which runs the length of the building and runs along the bottom of each relief. Surrounding each relief is red-brown brick. Each relief is carved into a pale warm-toned grey stone area. The outer area of the inset warm-grey stone is raised with a flat central tile where a relief is carved. Along the very top of the building there is a protruding rim in the same pale warm-grey stone. This rim follows round the entire building and has a repeating pattern of four vertical columnar lines followed by a square carved into it.

On the front of the building to the left of the entrance near the curved corner of the building the stone carving depicts a perpendicular torch. At the top of the torch there is a flame which leans off to the right as if blown by a breeze. There is a fluted collar under the flame and vertical hollowed curvatures run the length of the torch handle. Directly inline above this relief the pattern which occurs in the strip of pale stone along the top of the building changes. It becomes a continuous geometric line which differentiates the area from the rest of the building.

On the left-hand side of the building towards the front curved corner there is a stone relief. Within the central area is carved a frond of a plant with narrow pointed leaves. There are twenty-six leaves in total which sit either side of the central stem. Some of the leaves overlap.

On the left-hand side of the building towards the rear curved corner there is a stone relief. Within the central area is carved a stem of a plant with oval shaped pointed leaves. The stem has six side shoots from which grow thirty leaves in total. There are four mini shoots with what could be leaf or flower buds.

On the rear of the building towards the right curved corner there is a stone relief. Within the central area is carved an instrument with an appearance similar to a small harp. It has an outer u-shaped bow within which seven strings are stretched from the bottom to the top of the instrument. On the left side of the bow is a raised arm with a circular shape on the end. Directly inline above this relief the pattern which occurs in the strip of pale stone along the top of the building changes. It becomes a continuous geometric line which differentiates the area from the rest of the building.