‘The Gansey Girl’: Limited Edition Bronze Maquette and High Quality Prints
‘Gansey Girl' is a bronze sculpture by Stephen Carvill which can be found on Bridlington Harbour's north pier. Paying homage to the families of fishermen, the inspiration for the sculpture came from a photograph by renowned 19th century Whitby photographer Frank Meadow-Sutcliffe, and the significance of the Ganseys to those who make and wear them.
Exclusive to Gallery Forty-Nine, Stephen Carvill has designed a 1/3 scale bronze maquette of 'Gansey Girl', which is available to purchase and is made to order in a limited edition. Gallery Forty-Nine also has a new selection of high-quality 'Gansey Girl' prints, produced from photographs taken by Julie Folds and printed on Epson paper with archival ink.
For further information contact Gallery Forty-Nine.
Exhibition Catalogue
A catalogue has been produced for this exhibition which details each of the artworks available for sale. Please click on the button below to download the catalogue in PDF format.
‘Gansey Girl’
Stephen Carvill says: “I worked closely with the Bridlington community, and was inspired by the fishing industry: stories of triumph, tragedy and bravery, love and devotion. The hardworking women gave that love and devotion in plenty, symbolised by the knitting of the beautiful Ganseys (fine, hardwearing woollen sweaters) they made for their menfolk to wear at sea. Their support was a vital part of survival!"
The tradition of knitting beautiful ganseys is particularly prevalent in this area of the coast, and incorporates a rich tapestry of symbolism in the patterns. Each village had its own pattern and each of the fishing families created their own variations. The names of many of these families have been engraved on the small fishes that swim around the Gansey Girl plinth on the harbour.
Stephen says: "When the Maritime Trail team first saw the maquette/model for the sculpture, there was unanimous approval. Everyone worked very hard to make it happen - a real team effort."
1/3 Size 'Gansey Girl' Bronze Maquette
The 1/3 size bronze maquette of 'Gansey Girl', exclusive to Gallery Forty-Nine, is made to the same exacting standards and attention to detail as the full-size sculpture.
It is produced by the same foundry (McKinney Foundry, Norfolk) who have added their mark, edition number and artist signature.
The maquette is approximately 22 inches high, and the Gansey Girl is sitting on a composite limestone plinth.
Stephen Carvill
Stephen was born in Bridlington and studied at Hull College of Art. He was awarded the CGLI National Medal for Excellence in Stonecraft.
For many years he worked with the Richard Kindersley Studio, London, which gave him the opportunity to engage with the design and execution of several nationally significant artworks including the Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park, London, and the D Day Landings Memorial on Gold Beach, Normandy, France.