It's no wonder I adore this gorgeous fountain so much...I was born only a few days after the sculptor...still would have loved to have met him though..I took one look at that and knew right off it had something to do with Greek mythology because that's the kind of stuff I studied over in over in my Humanities classes, and I know that backwards and forwards without even being told first...I looked this fountain up, cause I couldn't remember anything, everything was a blur and went so fast, this is all I have to remember it by now are the pictures and the videos....That is called the Archibald Fountain...it stopped me dead in my tracks along the street whenever I first saw it...I didn't even know this was there, but I can't stress enough how grateful I am that I found it...The Cathedral is called St. Mary's Cathedral. I have never seen a Cathedral like that one ever. There were different ones in Italy whenever we were stationed there, but not that big. I really am so happy I got to see every bit of this, Hyde Park, the fountain, the cathedral, and just being in such a gorgeous park. I have never seen a park that size ever. It was so huge and went all the way across the street behind it and to the sides.....There was a long walkway lined with trees on both sides you could walk down the middle of it and end up in a different area and be facing a different street. We also stopped one day and were shown the stadium where the Olympics were held. They took everything down there, but that plaque is still there, and the stadium is there. We just saw the outside of it from the street, so don't know really what the inside of it looks like...I'm finally coming to the end of these pictures finally so hope everyone is enjoying them and the videos as well, whenever they decide to work...I finally got the other one from yesterday on here I went ice skating to...That is from the Opera Madame Butterfly, and also a movie based in New Zealand which is a true story called "Heavenly Creatures." These videos here one is of Hyde Park how is looks all around standing in one spot and turning, and the other is just of the Fountain. This was definately my favorite part of the trip since it was by accident, and I didn't expect to see any of this at all...wow do I feel lucky now that I did...=) good night all



François-Léon Sicard (April 21, 1862-1934) is considered one of the more talented yet most elusive sculptors of the late 19th and early 20th century. His credits include work on the adornments of the Louvre, and numerous sculptures around the world. Sicard was born in Tours, studied with Barrias, and is known for his lithography and his fiercely patriotic original works of art. Despite the prolific populace of noted works throughout Europe, surprisingly little is known about Sicard himself. His work is very similar to that of Gustave Adolphe Grauk (1827-1920) and Antoine-Augustin Préault (1809-1879), and he may have worked in collaboration with Grauk on some of his sculptures during the early 20th century. Some of his noted sculptures include Le Bon Samaritain (The Good Samaritan), Oedipe et le Sphinx (Oedipus and the Sphinx) and the Archibald Fountain in Sydney's Hyde Park. Archibald Fountain The Archibald Fountain, properly called the J.F. Archibald Memorial Fountain, widely regarded as the finest public fountain in Australia, is located in Hyde Park, in central Sydney, New South Wales. It is named after J.F. Archibald, owner and editor of The Bulletin magazine, who bequeathed funds to have it built. Archibald specified that it must be designed by a French artist, both because of his great love of French culture and to commemorate the association of Australia and France in World War I. He imagined its civic design and ornamentation developing to rival his dream city Paris. The artist chosen was Francois Sicard. The fountain was unveiled on 14 March 1932 by the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Samuel Walder. Sicard was one of the foremost sculptors of his day, a classically educated artist, whose inspiration was derived, at least in part, from his study of classical Greek and Roman art and literature. In submitting his proposal for the design of the sculptural groups, Sicard wrote: "Apollo represents the Arts (Beauty and Light). Apollo holds out his right arm as a sign of protection, and spreads his benefits over all Nature, whilst he holds the Lyre in his left hand. Apollo is the warmth which vivifies, giving life to all Nature. At the touch of his rays, men awake, trees and fields become green, the animals go out into the fields, and men go to work at dawn. "The ancient Pliny adored the sun, symbol of Life. It is on this account that I wished this figure to be the chief one in the memorial. "At Apollo's feet the star of day is indicated by a semicircle, of which the rays spread out in jets of light (the rising sun). The horses' heads represent the horses of Apollo's chariot. Out of their nostrils the water will fall into the first basin, to fall from there into the second, and run away into the large basin. "The large basin is divided into three groups. One represents Diana, goddess of purity, of peaceful nights, symbol of charity; the ideal which watches over mortals - all that stands for poetry and harmony. The second group symbolises the good things of the earth - it is the young god of the fields and pastures, of the pleasure of the countryside. The third group represents sacrifice for the public good. Theseus, vanquisher of the Minotaur. The spirit triumphs over bestiality. Theseus delivers his country from the ransom which it had to pay to this monster. It is the sacrifice of himself for the good of humanity. Between these groups tortoises throw jets of water. The fountain is electrically illuminated and floodlighted at night. "It depicts Apollo, representing beauty and the arts, on a central column holding out his right arm as a sign of protection over all nature. On the three plinths radiating from the central column there are figures representing Diana, the goddess of purity; a group representing the good things of the earth; Theseus slaying a Minotaur, representing the sacrifice for the good of humanity." Interestingly, Sicard quotes Pliny as one of the ancient Roman sources for the modern understanding of the qualities supposedly represented by the gods. Rather than merely using the visual examples of works such as those by Pheidias, the iconic sculptor of classical Athens, whose free standing and frieze statuary represent the acme of the classical depiction of the human form in larger-than life bronze or marble, Sicard used literary sources to explain the symbology behind the form. The figure with the ram and goat is possibly Aristaeus. His choice of classical figures was in keeping with the European tradition of the sculpture and architecture of the precinct of Hyde Park. There is no indication in the writings of Sicard, or indeed, in the appraisal of his work, that there was any intention to link the figures in the sculptural groups with any religious or sexual themes. Over the years the Archibald Fountain has been a chosen spot for photos, buskers, political rallies and just as a meeting place. Park benches are provided nearby, making it a popular location for city workers at lunchtime. Critical Mass The Archibald Fountain in Hyde Park is the commencement point for Sydney's Critical Mass bicycle rides. Sydney's Critical Mass gathers from 17:30 on the last Friday of every month. For some years the Archibald Fountain was the centre of a gay men's cruising area. According to the veteran Sydney gay activist and journalist Bob Hay, the various figures from Greek mythology, such as Apollo and Poseidon were interpreted as symbols of the "homosexual Golden Age of Ancient Greece". According to this interpretation, Apollo was the eromenos, or youth who is the beloved while Poseidon was often the model of the erastes, the "lover", the older, bearded man. According to Hay, in the 1930s and 1940s, the Archibald and the [nearby] "Sacrifice of War" at the War Memorial were the only nude male sculptures on public view.