Close to the entrance into the castle, at the south Barbican, are these three warrior sculptures. The information plaques tell us the following:
"The Warriors are humanoid figures expressing the essence of their weapons which rather than being held, form an integral part of the figures, evoking the zen approach to martial arts wherein the weapon and its wielder become merged into a single entity. They accentuate the force and movement inherent in their use of their weapons while their heads take on a helmeted form, reflecting the brute impersonality of military conflict.
The Pikeman is the fulcrum of the defence - relaxed but alert. He has neither the speed of the Swordsman not the specialised development of the Archer, but any opponent that escapes these two will have to confront the massive strength of the Pikeman.
The Swordsman - The powerful shoulder of the sword arm is dropped with the elbow pulled back, like a spring ready to strike; the shield is raised and thrust forward aggressively, while the head armour merges into a hard shell covering the back, like the carapace of a crab. There is no element of chivalry here, just the harsh brutality of battle.
The Archer - The back and shoulders have a specialised strength. The arm holding the bow is in compression, forced back into the shoulder, while the other arm is in tension, as if drawn back by some unseen force. The vertical opening in the helmet suggests the narrow slits in a castle’s walls through which the archers shot their arrows."
The sculptures were the work of Malcolm Brocklesby and were installed here in 1995.
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
I rather like these sculptures. I hadn't realised that I also have shots of another piece of work by this same sculpture of a mother and child at Mount Grace Priory, another English Heritage site.
Ian
August 31st, 2021
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Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
I rather like these sculptures. I hadn't realised that I also have shots of another piece of work by this same sculpture of a mother and child at Mount Grace Priory, another English Heritage site.
Ian