City of Gold and Mud

Melissa Simon 18 March 2019 World City: Representing London Blog 2 I had walked passed the large, gold sculpture in Kensington Gardens multiple times since I arrived in London, yet I had never really known exactly what it was or the significance behind it, until learning about it in class. After learning that the sculpture was the Albert Memorial, commemorating the death of Prince Albert and depicting ideas of imperial London, I now see the sculpture in a new light and from a completely different perspective. The memorial represents imperial London in a variety of ways, namely through its prestigious gold color, grand appearance and excessive decorations/figures. I was particularly intrigued by the four outer corners surrounding the sculpture, representing the four corners of the world: Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe. It reinforces the idea that Britain is a dominating and powerful authority across the world.  The grandness of the Albert Memorial, a...

Our trip to the Docklands was informative and educational if not somewhat uncomfortable. Through Kris’ reading on Turner’s work on The Slavers, we learned of the horrors of slavery, and the role that the British Empire played in its role. As an American, I was very aware of slavery’s impact on our country, but I did not know just how important slavery was in building London.   The exhibit on the slave trade was uncomfortable. Listening to our discussion after our endeavors in the exhibit, I could understand that some students felt that the museum had dulled the horror of slavery by using bureaucratic language. While I did not necessarily feel that way,  I can understand why some students might have. Turner’s The Slave Ship displays the horrors of slavery in full visceral grisly impact. The image of slaves being thrown into the sea for the purposes of the slavers getting financial compensation is almost too disgusting to look at. I intentionally avoided staring at the deta...

The most interesting of the trips for me was our very first to Trafalgar Square. This is also the site of the famous painting which we discussed, James Tissot’s “London Visitors.” As seen in the painting, the site immediately commands great attention and admiration. The square is a tribute to the British victory over the French and Spanish during the Napoleonic wars. The design evokes a feeling of power, pride, and accomplishment. Similar to the characters in the forefront of the painting, I was captured by the giant monument on which Admiral Nelson, hero of the battle, is perched. The monument glorifies violence and competition, as demonstrated by the use of French cannons to be used as the materials for the ferocious lions at the base of the pillar. Not only did the British beat the French, they added insult to injury. In Tissot’s painting, it seems that some are more impressed with the aspects of glory and victory than others. The man, who appears to be lo...

The piece that I’m focusing on is the Seven Dials Monument and the surrounding neighborhood. Outside the context of it being a source of interest for Charles Dickens or Henry Mayhew, the plaza and area that envelops it serves as an example of a region in London that breathes crests and troughs throughout its history. It’s remnants in its attempt to become an affluent representation of the success of an empire is evident just with a peek at the monument. With instead of a clock at the top, the sundials stand for more than just the telling of time, but again emphasizes a blatantly literal interpretation that the sun never sets on the British empire. Furthermore, the architectural choices of the column point to past empires and how it proves this plaza as a demarcation of British empire. Donning an un-fluted column with a Doric capital, it mimics specifically Grecian influence (Roman would likely be the leafy Corinthian columns seen on buildings such as the National Gallery or ...

John Walsh City of Mud and Gold Blog Post 1 Our class trip to the Museum of London’s Docklands was a very interesting and educational journey.  I think that this museum, along with the transport museum did a very good job of showing the progression and history that Britain/London has had as an empire and a city.  As you walk throughout the museum, you begin to see how the British empire strategized and became successful at controlling the seas, and eventually the more modern options like the tube.  The various exhibits showed how this success was possible and how it improved with technology, innovation, and education over time.  When we arrived at the slave trade exhibit, it was particularly interesting to see the British perspective on this history rather than an American one.  This was because it showed how Britain committed these horrendous acts, but also how they were ashamed yet informative of what had occurred.  One of my favorite pa...