Damian Hirst statue of St Bartholomew

The Damian Hirst statue of St Bartholomew does dominate the church that its placed in; though as the church commemorates St Bartholomew, doubtless thats appropriate.

St Bartholomew the Great Exquisite Pain Damien Hirst
St Bartholomew the Great Exquisite Pain Damien Hirst

In 900year old church of St Bartholomew the Great they have the extraordinary sight of Damien Hurst’s near life sized statue of ‘Exquisite Pain’ depicting the Saint Bartholomew, who may have been flayed, as an anatomically correct representation of the man holding his own skin. While there are innumerable representations of this event non can be as eye catching as this Bronze covered in Gold Leaf.

red granite heads of Amenhotep III and Senusret III
red granite heads of Amenhotep III and Senusret III

Even older than the church are the red granite heads of two Pharaohs in the British Museum. Both are on the colossal scale associated with many statues in Egypt and yet looking at the grim face of Senusret III compared to a more benevolent impression of Amenhotep III its clear that personality was also an important attribute alongside scale for these masons over 3,000 years ago.

Author: Tony Walsh

Tony Walsh - author and tour leader through Arabia