Rodin s Burghers of Calais in the gardens next to the Houses of Parliament in London


Houses of Parliament The Burghers of Calais statue in Victoria Tower Gardens During the Hundred Years War Calais had been taken by Edward III after a fierce resistance The King agreed to spare the city if six prominent townspeople surrendered keys to the city and offered their lives Dressed in sacks and wearing nooses six volunteers presented themselves to Edward Edward s queen pleaded and the six hostages were spared Rodin made the statue at the request of the mayor of Calais and it shows the burghers as they set out to the English camp to confront the King There is one version in Calais but the one shown here is a second statue the National Art Collections Fund bought from Rodin in 1911 as a gift to the nation Rodin chose Victoria Gardens for his work because of the backdrop of the soaring Gothic towers of Parliament


Size: 4582px × 6900px
Photo credit: © Dacorum Gold / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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