Friday, January 20, 2017

Five on Friday

It's Friday and time once again to join in with Five on Friday organised by Amy at Love Made my Home.

Now who is that strolling in the garden?

Mr Lancelot 'Capability' Brown! On his way from an international sculpture exhibition at Doddington Hall in Lincolnshire to take up his final resting place beside the River Thames in Hammersmith, is taking some time out to survey his design project  at Trentham Gardens and to see how in 2016 gardeners here have worked hard to return the gardens to something he would recognise.

The  bronze statue weighs 207kg and is the first life size, full length statue of the famous garden designer.

It was made for last year's tercentenary celebrations of Brown's birth in 1716 by Laury Dizengremel who is artist in residence at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire.  His face was based on the portrait by Richard Cosway which was selected as the face of Capability Brown for last year's festival.


I liked the detail in the sculpture, his tricorn hat, long boots and frock coat.  With his garden plans under his arm he looks purposeful, yet somehow kindly,  as he strides out to see how his designs are working within the landscape.

Here are five facts about Lancelot 'Capability' Brown

1.  He was born on 30th August 1716 in Kirkharle, Northumberland the fifth of six children born to William and Ursula Brown.

2.  He was known as the 'father' of landscape design.

3.  He was nicknamed 'Capability' because he always used to say that landscapes showed great capability for improvement.

4.  He worked on over two hundred and sixty sites over England and Wales during his working life.

5.  He died on 6th February 1783 at his daughter's house in London and is buried at the church of St Peter and St Paul, Fenstanton, Cambridgeshire.

Click on the link below to find others who are joining in with Five on Friday

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

http://lovemademyhome.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Five%20on%20Friday
Posted by at
Labels:

54 comments:

  1. Coastal Ripples20 January 2017 at 09:11

    What a lovely statue with such detail. Thanks for the facts Rosie. It was good to find out where 'capability ' came from. Have a good weekend. B x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie20 January 2017 at 18:59

      I always wondered why 'capability' too, have a lovely weekend:)

      Delete
  2. Crimson Kettle20 January 2017 at 09:23

    Ooh exciting! I will have to look out for him when he arrives in Hammersmith. I'm sure the statue is quite right showing him dashing through the garden, he certainly created so many gardens during his life. x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie20 January 2017 at 19:00

      If you do spot him I'd love to see a photo on your blog of where he is:)

      Delete
  3. mamasmercantile20 January 2017 at 10:46

    A beautiful statue, with such detail. It was good to learn a little more about him, they say you learn something new everyday. Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie20 January 2017 at 19:01

      I never knew where he was born or where he is buried, I'm glad we spotted the statue and that I looked him up in more detail:)

      Delete
  4. Louise20 January 2017 at 10:59

    I'm really not a fan at all of Capability Brown's gardens but that is a great sculpture and it was interesting to read those facts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie20 January 2017 at 19:01

      It is a lovely sculpture isn't it? I love the detail in it:)

      Delete
  5. Ragged Robin20 January 2017 at 11:02

    A lovely statue with so much detail and interesting to read about Capability Brown. I think they have been celebrating down at Croome Court in Worcestershire too - another place I would love to visit!! :)

    ps off to look for some waxwings later - have given up trying to find my own locally and off to a place where they have been around for several days including this morning!!

    Have a good weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie20 January 2017 at 19:05

      Croome house and estate are wonderful, we visited a couple of years ago on my birthday. It was when they had the scaffolding up on the house with the cafe at the top of it, the views were amazing. The air museum there is interesting too. Keeping my fingers crossed that you see some waxwings today, good luck:)

      Delete
  6. podso20 January 2017 at 11:23

    Interesting to read this. And what wonderful bronze work. We have such statues around, but it's nice when it's of a real person in history.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie20 January 2017 at 19:08

      It is a super statue and it is good it is dispalyed in a garden he designed too:)

      Delete
  7. Snap20 January 2017 at 13:36

    Interesting post and what a great bronze in tribute to Lancelot 'Capability' Brown. Happy Friday!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie20 January 2017 at 19:09

      Thanks, Snap glad you enjoyed the post. Happy Friday to you to:)

      Delete
  8. The History Anorak20 January 2017 at 14:05

    What a wonderful find. I love to see sculptures in gardens and he's such a fitting subject. Thanksfor sharing him with us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie20 January 2017 at 19:10

      I didn't know he was there and we just happened upon him, sited in just the right place I think he's there for a few weeks into Spring:)

      Delete
  9. Coquetnaturelover20 January 2017 at 15:14

    A very interesting post making me want to research him further. He went to school at Cambo which is just ten miles from where I live in Northumberland. I just started my wildlide-gardening blog last year so perhaps I will do a post. It could be interesting. Kirkharle is a great place to visit if you are in the area. Lovely post, thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie20 January 2017 at 19:11

      Glad you enjoyed the post and it will be interesting to see if you write a post about the places he grew up in. Thanks for visiting:)

      Delete
  10. Mac n' Janet20 January 2017 at 15:23

    I'm a great admirer of his gardens and enjoyed your blog this week. Great sculpture.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie20 January 2017 at 19:11

      Thanks, Janet it is a great sculpture isn't it?:)

      Delete
  11. Sharon20 January 2017 at 15:24

    So interesting! Love the statue - it looks so lifelike. Thanks for sharing your Five on Friday!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie20 January 2017 at 19:12

      The statue is supposed to be lifesize so he wasn't a big or tall man not much taller than me:)

      Delete
  12. Simone20 January 2017 at 18:29

    Such a handsome bronze. I would love to have such a piece in my garden! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie20 January 2017 at 19:15

      I'd love to have a sculpture in the garden but wouldn't know what subject to choose. A deer perhaps?:)

      Delete
  13. Amy at love made my home20 January 2017 at 19:26

    He was a fascinating man wasn't he. What a wonderful statue that is, he really looks as though he is walking doesn't he. I only learned last year I think about the reason he was called capability, it is a great description and name though isn't it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie21 January 2017 at 15:40

      Yes, he was a fascinating man, I'd nver really thought about him much before but I may see if I can find a biography to read:)

      Delete
  14. Lyn20 January 2017 at 22:51

    His name is so well known but not the man himself I think. This statue is quite handsome too.
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie21 January 2017 at 15:42

      True,we all know the name (much like Grinling Gibbons or Thomas Chippendale) but I for one don't know much at all about his life and work. It is a lovely statue isn't it?:)

      Delete
  15. krishna21 January 2017 at 01:23

    Nice statue with great details...

    Please visit: http://from-a-girls-mind.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie21 January 2017 at 15:43

      Glad you enjoyed it. I have popped overto your blog and left you a comment:)

      Delete
  16. riitta k21 January 2017 at 03:09

    A great statue of a great man! Thank you for this interesting information - wishing you a lovely weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie21 January 2017 at 15:44

      Thank you riitta, glad you found it interesting. Hope you too have a good weekend:)

      Delete
  17. Lorrie21 January 2017 at 04:57

    I like the sense of motion in the statue. We were fortunate to visit one of his landscape projects in Wales this past summer. He had great imagination for landscapes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie21 January 2017 at 15:47

      He did indeed! We have visited one or two places in particular Croome in Worcestershire which is wonderful:)

      Delete
  18. At Rivercrest Cottage21 January 2017 at 05:22

    popped in from 5 on Friday and found this an interesting post.

    ReplyDelete
  19. AnnieOBTextiles21 January 2017 at 14:01

    What a fantastic sculpture with so much movement in it. He really looks like he is striding across the garden. I really enjoyed the Capability Brown celebrations at Stowe Gardens where he lived for a number of years while working on the estate.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie21 January 2017 at 15:48

      I've never been to Stowe, I'd love to see it:)

      Delete
  20. Linda21 January 2017 at 14:03

    Statues are wonderful to see, and so nice when you know a bit of the history of them. Have a good day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie21 January 2017 at 15:49

      I always enjoy life like statues rather than the more formal ones:)

      Delete
  21. Gracie Saylor23 January 2017 at 03:22

    Thanks for another interesting post, Rosie! I especially enjoyed seeing the detail of the statue...amazing artistry.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie23 January 2017 at 09:55

      Glad you enjoyed the post, Gracie. Thanks for visiting:)

      Delete
  22. Mrs Tiggywinkle23 January 2017 at 23:05

    Fascinating post, Rosie, thank you. I think the sculpture is lovely. xx

    ReplyDelete
  23. Candytuft Corner23 January 2017 at 23:44

    This is an amazing piece of sculpture and the photos are terrific. Marie x

    ReplyDelete
  24. Mylittlepieceofengland24 January 2017 at 16:52

    I haven't heard of him, that was really interesting as well as being a fantastic statue xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie25 January 2017 at 09:35

      Thanks for visiting Cheryl, glad you enjoyed the post:)

      Delete
  25. Sandra 25 January 2017 at 14:30

    Hi Rosie! Such a wonderful post as always! I love to read them and learns to write!

    Sandra xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie25 January 2017 at 18:55

      Thank you Sandra, glad you enjoyed the post:)

      Delete
  26. Acornmoon26 January 2017 at 14:50

    He should stay where he is, London has more than its fair share of statues.

    ReplyDelete
  27. September Violets29 January 2017 at 14:54

    What a great statue ... very realistic in the pose. I hope he approves of the gardens he will be forever walking through ;)
    Wendy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosie29 January 2017 at 18:28

      It is a super sculpture isn't it? He will be moving on but I wish he could stay there:)

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)