Edward VII Monument (Montreal)
Encyclopedia
The Edward VII Monument is a monument of artist Louis-Philippe Hébert
located at Phillips Square
in Montreal
.
, was erected in Phillips Square
, in face of Morgan's
, in 1914. The monument was unveiled by the Governor General of Canada
, with a huge crowd in attendance, on October 1, 1914. Edward VII visited Montreal in 1860, when he was still the Prince of Wales, to open the Victoria Bridge
.
Four allegorical figures — Peace, Four Nations, Abundance, and Liberty — sit at the base of the monument. Peace, the woman at the front holding the olive branch, keeps a sword hidden in the folds of her skirt, just in case. Four Nations, the western group, represents Montreal’s four founding nationalities — French, Scots, Irish, and English — living together in harmony. At the back of the monument, Winged Genius, represents Liberty. The angel has broken the shackles of religious prejudice and persecution and is a reminder that during the king’s reign he extended respect and dignity to all his subjects around the world, regardless of race, colour, or creed. And the eastern face, Abundance, represents Canada
's material prosperity.
Phillips Square was carved out of property that initially belonged to fur trader Joseph Frobisher
, one of the founding partners of the North West Company
, and named, for Thomas Phillips, a building contractor and city councillor who bought the land from Frobisher. When Phillips died, his widow donated the property to be used a perpetual memorial to her husband.
Louis-Philippe Hébert
Louis-Philippe Hébert was the son of Théophile Hébert, a farmer, and Julie Bourgeois of Ste-Sophie de Mégantic, Quebec. Louis-Philippe Hébert was a sculptor who sculpted forty monuments, busts, medals and statues in wood, bronze and terra-cotta. He taught at the Conseil des arts et manufactures in...
located at Phillips Square
Phillips Square
Phillips Square is a public square located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-History:In 1842, the square was first laid out, in what was at the time a wealthy residential area on the fringe of the city of Montreal. In 1891, Morgan's department store established itself in the square, followed...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
Overview
The monument to King Edward VII, by Louis-Philippe HébertLouis-Philippe Hébert
Louis-Philippe Hébert was the son of Théophile Hébert, a farmer, and Julie Bourgeois of Ste-Sophie de Mégantic, Quebec. Louis-Philippe Hébert was a sculptor who sculpted forty monuments, busts, medals and statues in wood, bronze and terra-cotta. He taught at the Conseil des arts et manufactures in...
, was erected in Phillips Square
Phillips Square
Phillips Square is a public square located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-History:In 1842, the square was first laid out, in what was at the time a wealthy residential area on the fringe of the city of Montreal. In 1891, Morgan's department store established itself in the square, followed...
, in face of Morgan's
Morgan's
Morgan's was a Montreal-based Canadian department store chain. At its peak, the company had stores in Quebec and Ontario...
, in 1914. The monument was unveiled by the Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, with a huge crowd in attendance, on October 1, 1914. Edward VII visited Montreal in 1860, when he was still the Prince of Wales, to open the Victoria Bridge
Victoria Bridge (Montreal)
Victoria Bridge , formerly originally known as Victoria Jubilee Bridge, is a bridge over the St. Lawrence River, linking Montreal, Quebec, to the south shore city of Saint-Lambert....
.
Four allegorical figures — Peace, Four Nations, Abundance, and Liberty — sit at the base of the monument. Peace, the woman at the front holding the olive branch, keeps a sword hidden in the folds of her skirt, just in case. Four Nations, the western group, represents Montreal’s four founding nationalities — French, Scots, Irish, and English — living together in harmony. At the back of the monument, Winged Genius, represents Liberty. The angel has broken the shackles of religious prejudice and persecution and is a reminder that during the king’s reign he extended respect and dignity to all his subjects around the world, regardless of race, colour, or creed. And the eastern face, Abundance, represents Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's material prosperity.
Phillips Square was carved out of property that initially belonged to fur trader Joseph Frobisher
Joseph Frobisher
Joseph Frobisher was a fur trader and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Halifax, England in 1740 and came to Quebec with his brother Benjamin around 1763; their brother Thomas joined them around 1769...
, one of the founding partners of the North West Company
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
, and named, for Thomas Phillips, a building contractor and city councillor who bought the land from Frobisher. When Phillips died, his widow donated the property to be used a perpetual memorial to her husband.