Looking at the Whole Story of Lady Godiva in Bronze

Showing all the details of the sculpture of a heroine - Lady Godiva - who risked her life and reputation in the cause of preventing unjust taxation.

More from the Sculptress JOEL

How a Christian made a difference, even in humility and changed hearts and laws and history. The Sculpture was cast in Bronze and captures the moment when her horse steps out of the safety of the paved courtyard of her privileged life into the dirt roads. It is the moment she chooses to drop her cloak from her shoulders - yet you can see that she keeps a grip on both the reins to go forward and the folds of the cloth she wants to draw back over herself.
The Horse I picked to be a Spanish stallion and call Boaz and he is harnessed in rich harness of the period, You can see the history of the making of this bronze commission in the posts below.

Lady Godiva Bronze available from the online GALLERY

Follow this link to the sculpture GALLERY website

Bronze Sculpture of Lady Godiva

~~~~~~~~~

I Will Lift Up My Eyes

~~~

The Beautiful Sculpture of Lady Godiva

I will Lift up My eyes

was originally commissioned for the  Davies Gallery

Stratford Upon Avon

England

For further information

Contact the Sculptress JOEL

The Lady Godiva Story

Godiva (fl. 1040–1067) Old English: Godgifu, known as Lady Godiva, was an 11th-century Anglo-Saxon noblewoman. Legends of her life date back at least to the 13th century.
She was moved by her Christian faith to accept a challenge set her by her husband - that if she would ride naked through the streets of Coventry he would  cancel  oppressive taxes he was inflicting on his tenants.

This story inspired the making of the Bronze celebrating this event

Below are some of the details of the  making of the sculpture of the Lady of courage who dared to do what was needed to see people rescued from oppression



Inspiration for Lady Godiva's horse ~ the Spanish stallion Boethos



The Spanish eye

The Spanish stallion at Northfield farm, Derbyshire, was a marvellous help and inspiration to inform the sculpture of Boethos,

Lady Godiva's horse,

stepping out from the safety of her courtyard

Stepping Out

Boethos...all ready to be tacked up and saddled for Lady Godiva to ride


Close up of the details of the bridle and reins



The ornamented saddle and folds of Lady Godivas dropped cloak


The project progressed and the finished clay sculpture cast into Bronze by the lost wax process.

Commission of History

The Sculpture of Lady Godiva was commissioned by the new Davies Gallery of Stratford Upon Avon.
The Sculpture has been made in fine detail and with careful research by the Sculptress JOEL.
"It has been a fascinating journey of discovery ~ about the historical Lady herself, and the Saddlery of the time. We chose a Spanish stallion as her horse and he was given the name Boethos, which comes from the Greek for 'Help' and reminds us of Godiva's faith, echoed in Psalm 121"
I lift up my eyes to the hills
— where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth
Lady Godiva's Christian faith was the motivation for her compassion for the poor, and her humility in being ready to risk utter embarrassment, to see an unfair tax repealled.

She is shown with one hand dropping, yet just holding the folds of her cloak, her other hand grips the reins and some of the mane of her horse....this is to reflect the tension between wanting to go forward with the action, but the desire to cover herself.

The saddle and bridle is ornate and beautifully decorated, and the Spanish horse has long mane and tail, which add to the flow and lines of the sculpture. The stallion also has a graceful and yet powerful appearance as he steps out from a walk into a trot.

Please Contact the Studio if you would like further details of this special Sculpture

~~~~~

~~