King and Queen

Mediums: вronze.
Location: The Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (Washington, USA).

The sculptural composition was created during the coronation of Elizabeth II; however, its true object is not the identity of a king, but the ancient concept of the monarch as a ruler blessed by God. The king and queen are two sitting figures that combine realistic and abstract elements. Their sophisticated silhouettes tend to rise, and calm, majestic poses speak of stability and wisdom. The author said that the idea arose directly during his work on the sculpture, and was inspired by children’s tales, which he read to his six-year-old daughter every evening. This image of stable and supportive power was very relevant in the atmosphere of uncertainty that prevailed in post-war Britain.