Burns night and memories of Verity

A beautiful holiday was spent in Ilfracombe. 

The coastguards walk on a bright winters day included some of the most beautiful Devon seascapes, countryside, farms, churchs and spectacular coastal scenery.  From Ilfracombe High Street go towards Combe Martin. Keep on this road (A399) passing the Thatched Inn on your right.

 

 

 

Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796) (also known as Robbie Burns, Rabbie Burns, Scotland's favourite poet)  was celebrated at Ilfracombe by a traditional evening of the bagpipes.  He is one of the most celebrated Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who has most of his poems written also in English and a light Scots dialect accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. The writings are of political and civil commentary is often at its bluntest.

A pioneer of the Romantic movement, and after his death he became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalismm and socialismm, and a cultural icon in Scotland. Celebration of his life and work became almost a national charismatic cult, during the 19th and 20th centuries, and this continued at this evening venue.

 

“By Oppression's woes and pains!
By your sons in servile chains!
We will drain our dearest veins,
But they shall be free!

Lay the proud usurpers low!
Tyrants fall in every foe!
Liberty's in every blow!
Let us do or die!” 

 

Till all the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt with the sun;
I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands of life shall run.

 

 

“But to see her was to love her,
Love but her, and love forever.
Had we never lou'd sae kindly,
Had we never lou'd sae blindly,
Never met - or never parted -
We had ne'er been broken hearted”
― Robert Burns

 

The title 'Verity' is from the Italian word of Truth, while she holds the traditional symbols denoting justice – a sword and scales.

This statue is a fantastic proclamation of the reality of todays society. The statue of Verity pregnant holding a sword aloft and standing on a base of legal books is meant to be a 'modern allegory of truth and justice'.

Verity is developed from Degas's Little Dancer...I used the model of the Little Dancer in my College Art Show.  The stance of Edgar Degas' scultpure of the late 19th Century Little Dancer of Fourteen Years and is referenced by Damien Hirst in his earlier bronze Virgin Mother from 2005.

Verity sits on the harbour of the beautiful seaside town of Ilfracombe.