Why is this new statue of Jane Austen so controversial?
By: Written by Amy Houghton Tuesday 12 March 2024
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Why is this new statue of Jane Austen so controversial?
Winchester Cathedral, Austen’s final resting place, is getting a £100,000 statue of the author
Photograph: Steve Russell Studios
From the beloved Colin Firth thirst trap to ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ and a bizarre zombie apocalypse movie, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is the gift that keeps on giving. That and many other Jane Austen classics are proof that the author’s work is something that continues to captivate readers across the globe.
So, it makes sense that Winchester Cathedral, the author’s final resting place, would want to commemorate the her 250th birthday. To mark the occasion, the cathedral had been hoping to erect a £100,000 statue of Austen in its Inner Close, created by sculptor Martin Jennings (the same guy behind King Charles’s coin portrait ). Here’s what the statue’s maquette (not completely finished) version looks like.
Photograph: Steve Russell Studios
But, turns out, that’s a pretty controversial idea. Locals and Austen fans are worried about the statue attracting unwanted tourists and leading to the ‘Disneyfication’ of a place of worship.
Elizabeth Proudman, a Jane Austen expert, argued in the Guardian : ‘I don’t think any statue is appropriate for this part of Winchester Cathedral. The Inner Close is where the monks had a private area, it’s a special place.
‘I don’t think we want to turn it into Disneyland-on-Itchen [the river that runs through the city]. I don’t think the Inner Close is the place to attract a lot of American tourists to come and have a selfie with Jane Austen.’
She added that Austen herself wouldn't be keen on the idea because she was apparently a very private person and hated publicity. Another critic, Phil Howe, owner of Hidden Britain tours, said that the statue risks ‘hijacking’ Austen’s brand, like (he claimed) the city of Bath has done.
Winchester Catherdral has hit back at the comments, though. Catherine Ogle, dean of the cathedral, said in a letter to the Hampshire Chronicle : ‘The proposed location of the statue in the Inner Close is close to the route she would have taken when visiting her nephews at the nearby Winchester College and her friends at No 12 The Close.
‘The Cathedral has hoped to give Jane Austen a fitting tribute as a sculpture for some years. The opportunity has now arisen with a significant number of private donors and small grant providers keen to see in place the splendid and sensitive design by the acclaimed sculptor Martin Jennings.’
Jennings himself said: ‘This is a work of the imagination as, I must emphasise, every work of art is. We don’t know very much at all about what she looked like. I want the sculpture to express her spirit.
’In life, she may have been aghast at being represented in this way. But after death, she belongs to all of us. I don’t think we have, in any way, invaded her private personality. If she was writing, her head would be bent over and looking down. The figure is more dynamic.’
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This is about as current a seed as I've ever posted - posted on the web just yesterday. I have two criticisms of that statue, the first being that the sculptor didn't do her face justice at all, in fact IMO it makes her look quite unattractive. It doesn't look anything like the one actual portrait of Jane. Secondly, I would have preferred to see her sitting at a desk pen in hand writing.
By the way, does anybody know what a thirst trap is?
Never mind, I just looked it up on Microsoft Bing. Here it is...
I didn't know Colin Firth did that.
I don't think it refers to anything Firth did, himself. I think it means the "wet t-shirt Mr. Darcy" 1995 P&P. Slang terms tend to have muddled meanings, and I think this is an example of that.
I'm on the fence about the statue. Obviously, I'm glad so many people seem to be rediscovering my favorite author. But I do worry about, as the critics put it, the "Disneyfication" of the site, and of Austen, herself. We've already seen some Hallmark Austen adaptations, recently, which pretty much proves that they don't "get" her. Austen would have considered a Hallmark movie to be something to satirize.
I really don't think that statue is going to be such a draw as to cause a "Disneyfication" of Jane. Although it may symbolize something that is important to a lot of people, I don't think of it as being particularly magnetic.
I was thinking the same thing. This 'controversy' probably won't amount to much
Have to laugh. Articles about things literate can't possibly compete on this site with American politics.
No, they can’t Buzz. But keep trying. I don’t always comment but I do read them.
Thank you George, I do appreciate your support.