Sir John Hope, fourth Earl of Hopetoun (1765-1823). Thomas Campbell. Bronze. 1833. In front of Dundas House, St Andrew's Square, Edinburgh.
Benedict Read points out that "in Edinburgh in the 1830s it was to London that they looked for memorial sculpture," and that it was only this monument that was” by a Scotsman — "and he was firmly based in London" (116). Sir John, who was born in Hopetoun House near Edinburgh, was a celebrated commander of the 92nd Gordon Highlanders who had served at the Battle of Alexandria, and who received his knighthood after having distinguished himself as a leader in the Peninsular War of 1808-14. There are several other monuments to him. This one stands here because he was also a Governor of the Royal Bank of Scotland, which had acquired Dundas House ("a fine Palladian villa" designed by Sir William Chambers, see "Dundas House") in 1825. The villa was used as the bank's headquarters until as recently as 2005. Sir John is shown in classical robes, holding a sword in one hand and his charger's reins with the other. While the horse seems somewhat impatient, Sir John himself looks contemplative. Compare this thoroughly neo-classical monument to the Wellington monument of 1852 in Princes Street.
Photograph and text by Jacqueline Banerjee, 2009. [You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL.]
Bibliography
"Dundas House." Gazetteer for Scotland site. Viewed 23 December 2009.
"Sir John Hope (fourth Earl of Hopetoun)." Gazetteer for Scotland site. Viewed 23 December 2009.
Read, Benedict. Victorian Sculpture. New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 1982.
Last modified 23 December 2009