Evening, by Alfred Drury, in Leeds.
Evening, by Alfred Drury, in Leeds.
The exquisite repeated figure of Evening by Alfred Drury, as four identical lamp-holders in Leeds City Square, along with its companion Morning, form one of the key realisations of New Sculpture. The sculptor Alfred Drury was one of the most accomplished artists of his time, and Evening is archetypical of his feminine statues. Evening is almost entirely nude, with a wisp of fabric blowing around her, tied by some cord tied around her torso under the breast which is less noticeable in the finished bronze than the stone version. She stands with one arm upraised to hold the lamp, the other resting languidly on the top and back of her head, which itself leans to one side, for she is preparing to rest. Her eyes are closed. Her pose is relaxed, one knee slightly bent, and there is a feeling of languor imbuing every aspect of her figure.
Evening, rear view and in stone.
Another Evening, rather obscure and more or less contemporary with the Leeds one, is that by Albert Toft, again a nude figure, again in relaxed pose, here as if she was walking slowly and just come to a halt, holding a long poppy stem with a seed pod at the top – symbolic of sleep.
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Albert Toft's Evening.