Showing posts with label Birmingham. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birmingham. Show all posts

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Chamberlain Memorial of Birmingham

Located across the square from the Birmingham Council House, this monument was erected in 1880 to honor local M.P. and businessman Joseph Chamberlain.


Designed by John Henry Chamberlain, the structure bears a strong resemblance to G.G. Scott's Albert Memorial in London's Hyde Park. The mosaic embellishments consisting a floral motif were made by Salviati, Burke and Co.



The general stonework was by J. Barnsley and Sons and the carving was by S. Barfield and assistants.

Sources:
Wikipedia
GVG Imaging's flickr Photostream
Jan Grant's flickr Photostream
The urban snapper's flickr Photostream
The Building News and Engineering Journal. Vol. 39. Sept. 10, 1880. 315.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Birmingham Council House

Designed by local architect Yeoville Thomason in an Edwardian Renaissance style, this building from 1874-79 houses the city council.


The facade contains a central balcony with a niche under the portico that contains a mosaic tympanum by Salviati featuring Municipality giving "Stability" to Liberty and "Power" to Law, while Science, Art, Commerce and Industry look on. The name of the mosaic is not "Brittania Rewarding the Manufactures", as that is the title of the sculpture that represents a similar scene, found on top of the building.



Sources:
British Listed Buildings
Wikimedia Commons Photo by GavinWarrin
The website of Bob Speel
British Association for the Advancement of Science. "Handbook of Birmingham." Birmingham: Hall and English Printers, 1886. 123.
Foster, Andy and George Demidowicz. Pevsner Architectural Guides: Birmingham. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005. 63.