Life-Size Sculpture of the Queen
On September 8th 2023, the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, the award-winning sculptor Steve Winterburn appeared on GB News to reveal one of his most ambitious pieces to date.
Sports fans may have encountered one of Steve Winterburn’s creations: the sculptor is responsible for the spectacular bronze statue featuring five Rugby League legends at Wembley Stadium.
Those immersed in the art world will be familiar due to his work with a long list of established names such as Sotheby’s, Christies and Halcyon Gallery.
In the GB News studio with Steve was an incredible lifelike wax bust of the Queen which captures her in a near picture perfect way at the age of 21 - the way she was at the time the country first fell in love with her - on the birthday where she was first broadcast to the world.
Although it is far from finished, for those in the studio he succeeded. While the bust is going to be cast in solid silver next year, with real diamonds set into the crown, Stephen Dixon of GB News was quick to remark: “Frankly I’d pay a fortune for it now.”
Now the artist plans to take the sculpture on a royal tour with plans for its final resting place kept a secret. The first stop and initial public viewing is at LAPADA, one of London’s leading art fairs, on 27th September where everyone will get the chance to see it.
Despite 30 years of runaway success in the sculpting world, Steve Winterburn is keen to stress the sculpture is a work in progress and he intends to use feedback gained from the wider public to perfect the image of the Queen as the nation saw her.
Steve is hard at work on the next stage: cascading down from the bust, he plans to sculpt the robes of the Queen so they drape and form a swirling plinth-like base.
The artist says he intends to incorporate more context for the piece here; plans include the varied interests and passions of the Queen, a history of the Commonwealth, her charitable work and even her greatest achievements over the course of a lengthy reign.
An unusual element to the Queen sculpture, for Steve, is that it’s neither a commission nor a profit motivated piece. The sculptor simply wants to pour his own passion into a subject that not only carries profound meaning for himself, but also for a large number of people across the UK and around the world.
The ultimate goal, he says, is to produce “The finest representation of the Queen possible.”
The unveiling and subsequent first reception from GB News hosts and viewers would suggest this is an eminently achievable goal.
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