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Latitude: 55.951 / 55°57'3"N
Longitude: -3.1983 / 3°11'53"W
OS Eastings: 325269
OS Northings: 673756
OS Grid: NT252737
Mapcode National: GBR 8MG.N6
Mapcode Global: WH6SL.VP67
Plus Code: 9C7RXR22+CM
Entry Name: Statuary Group, West Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh
Listing Name: West Princes Street Gardens, Statuary Group
Listing Date: 14 December 1970
Category: B
Source: Historic Scotland
Source ID: 365236
Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB27888
Building Class: Cultural
Also known as: The Genius of Architecture Rewarding at Once the Science and the Practice of the Art
Edinburgh, West Princes Street Gardens, Statuary Group
ID on this website: 200365236
Location: Edinburgh
County: Edinburgh
Town: Edinburgh
Electoral Ward: City Centre
Traditional County: Midlothian
Tagged with: Statue Sculptural group
William Brodie, circa 1860. Marble. 3 figures: standing female and 2 kilted male children (see Notes) on hexagonal pedestal with rock-cut base course.
The A Group comprises The Allan Ramsay Monument, The Cottage, Dr Guthrie's Monument, The Police Box, The Ross Fountain, The Royal Scots Greys Monument, The Royal Scots Memorial, The Scottish American Memorial, The Shelters, The Simpson Monument, The Robert Louis Stevenson Memorial and The Statuary Group, all in West Princes Street Gardens. The figures are said to represent The Genius of Architecture crowning the Theory and Practice of Art. Executed by William Brodie for his son-in-law, James Gowans, and originally situated at Rockville, Gowans house in Napier Road, Merchiston (demolished). Gifted to the Gardens in 1870. West Princes Street Gardens were laid out by James Skene for the Princes Street proprietors circa 1820. In 1866 John Dick Peddie produced a plan, shown in 2 water-colours entitled 'the Athens of the North,' one looking NE across E Princes Street Gardens, showing Calton Hill with a completed National Monument/Parthenon, and the other, looking W across W Princes Street Gardens, showing the Gardens as a 'Walhalla' with a broad terrace with monuments and mausolea, fountains and a winter garden. The gardens were acquired by the city in 1876 and further landscaped by Robert Morham.
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