SARAH SIDDONS STATUE
BEFORE
AFTER
Born in 1755, Sarah Siddons was the most famous actress of the 18th century. Adored and fetishized, she was majestic and emotional on stage, mesmerising audiences well into her later years. When she died, 5,000 people attended her funeral in Paddington Green.
Her pure white marble statue in classical costume with mask and dagger was unveiled in 1897. In 2011 the statue was vandalised and her face destroyed. The dagger was broken off and she looked out faceless onto the Euston Road.
THANKS TO HOLT...
HOLT commissioned a condition survey and repair schedule and work took place over the summer of 2019, with additional funding from Westminster Council. A new nose and eyes were modelled in hard wax using archive photos and the many portraits of Sarah Siddons during her lifetime. The marble was then hand-carved to match and finally all pieces fitted. Her name and dates were recarved on the plinth to bring her back to public attention once more.
The project was supported with a generous donation from Jones Day.