Figure of Victory in the Welsh National War Memorial. Architect: Sir Ninian Comper. Sculptor: Alfred Bertram Pegram. 1928. Bronze. Alexandra Gardens, Cathays Park, Cardiff. [Click on photographs and those below to enlarge them.]
Pegram must have been an established figure in the art world” by the time he produced these bronzes for the monument. Even” by 1906, he had had an address at 12a Park Village West (no. 12 had once been rented” by the artist W. P. Frith); he later became a Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors; in 1938-39 he would be serving on its council. At that time he had a studio at 1a Camden Lane, North London. He is likely to have been related to the better-known Henry Alfred Pegram (1862-1937), one of the New Sculptors, who was born and married in Camden, and who had also been commissioned for work in Cardiff, in his case for architectural sculpture on the new City Hall there. Earlier twentieth-century examples of the younger Pegram's work are figures representing "Serenitas in Rebus" and Art, and mythological subjects such as Endymion and Narcissus.
Three views of a seaman holding up a wreath. Pegram's figures are impressive, although the central one symbolising Victory seems rather stiff compared with the figures representing the three armed forces, who stretch up as they hold their wreaths high above their heads.
Two views of the monument showing the relation of “Victory” to the soldiers and sailors..
Related Material
Photograph middle of second row (2009) and text (2011) by the author. All other photographs by Robert Freidus. Formatting by George P. Landow. [You may use these images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
Bibliography
RBS: Modern British Sculpture. London: Country Life, 1938. Internet Archive. Web. 1 March 2011. (This features Pegram's "Serenitas in Rebus" and "Art," pp. 80 and 81.)
Koch, Alex., ed. Sculptures from Academy Architecture, 1904-08. London: Academy Architecture, 1908. Internet Archive. Web. 1 March 2011. (This features Pegram's "Endymion" and "Narcissus," pp.39 and 69)
"Welsh National War Memorial". Welsh Icons (a gazetteer for Wales). Web. 1 March 2011.
Last modified 27 March 2012