Rodin at Westminster

One of my favourite statues in London. The figures are so expressive. There are many copies of this around the world in various sizes. It represents the surrender of the Burghers of Calais to the then English King Edward lll in 1346 after he laid siege. Philip of France had ordered the city to hold out against the English but they were starving. The following is from Wikipedia “ Edward offered to spare the people of the city if six of its leaders would surrender themselves to him, presumably to be executed. Edward demanded that they walk out wearing nooses around their necks, and carrying the keys to the city and castle. One of the wealthiest of the town leaders, Eustache de Saint Pierre, volunteered first, and five other burghers joined with him.[3] Saint Pierre led this envoy of volunteers to the city gates. It was this moment, and this poignant mix of defeat, heroic self-sacrifice, and willingness to face imminent death that Rodin captured in his sculpture, scaled somewhat larger than life.”

Done