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George Allen - Pinkerton Statue - 'Earth, Mining & Agriculture'

Other Name Mother Earth Location Cnr Sturt and Raglan Streets,, BALLARAT CENTRAL VIC 3350 - Property No B7198 File Number B7198 Level Regional

[1/1] B7198 Pinkerton Statue

Statement of Significance

The Pinkerton Statue by George Allen is of a simplified female figure which symbolises 'Earth', with smaller figures representing Mining and Agriculture carved in bas-relief at its base. The statue is carved in Hawkesbury Freestone and mounted on a granite plinth. It is located in a prominent position in central Ballarat.
The statue in commemoration of Mr. Frank Pinkerton, an esteemed local lawyer, erected in Ballarat in 1952 is significant for aesthetic and social reasons at a Regional level. The statue is a significant example of the work of one of Victoria's leading sculptors of the mid twentieth century, and the controversy at the time surrounding its installation reflects the general attitude of the period to progressive public sculptures.
George Allen won the commission to design and execute the Pinkerton Statue in open competition in 1949 against a large group of his peers. Following this. Allen was again successful in another major competition to design the National War Memorial for the Forecourt of the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne in 1951. Allen chose to work in a 'symbolic' manner using simplified forms with little detail, and relying on the strength of composition, 'boldness of statement' and the consideration of material for impact. Because of its lack of realism the Pinkerton Statue engendered much controversy, particularly within the popular press at the time, although it was generally appreciated in artistic circles. Allen had travelled extensively in Europe in the late 1930's, but his work mainly reflected influences from early modem sculptors in the United Kingdom such as Frank Dobson and Eric Gill.
The Pinkerton Statue was the first example of modem sculpture to be erected in Ballarat and is an excellent example Allen's own work and the changing artistic culture of the period. Allen himself said that it reflected the "spirit of the time".