Statue of Queen Victoria

1887

Sculptor: Joseph Edgar Boehm (1834–1890)

Commissioned for the Golden Jubilee

Bronze, on granite pedestal with bronze reliefs

Windsor, England, United Kingdom

Queen Victoria herself oversaw the unveiling of Joseph Edgar Boehm’s statue at Windsor Castle in an occasion described as the “crowning incident” of the Golden Jubilee. Boehm was the obvious choice for the commission. As well as designing the new Jubilee coinage, he made Jubilee statues for Balmoral, Bristol, Madras, Sydney, and Pietermaritzburg. It was known that the queen provided sittings for Boehm, conferring on his statues a mark of quality and an assurance of their likeness.

Like many statues of the queen, the monument at Windsor continued to provide a focal point of subsequent ceremonies. In 1897, for the Diamond Jubilee, it was covered with a temporary canopy made of wood and canvas that mimicked the architectural settings of other royal statues. In subsequent years, the statue was swathed in decorations for other occasions, such as Victoria’s eightieth birthday in 1899.

Related Media

Unveiling of the statue of Queen Victoria on Castle Hill, Windsor, June 22, 1887 Unveiling of the statue of Queen Victoria, by Queen Victoria, on Castle Hill, Windsor, June 22, 1887. [Royal Collection, London; http://www.royalcollection.org.uk]

Veiled statue of Queen Victoria on June 22, 1887 Veiled statue of Queen Victoria on June 22, 1887 [ Royal Collection, London; http://www.royalcollection.org.uk]

Diamond Jubilee procession, 1897 Diamond Jubilee procession, 1897. [Royal Collection, London, 2916387]