The Memorial Court

They Gave Their Lives For Their Country And For Freedom

Inside the Art Gallery complex on Schoolhill
is the Memorial Court.
The Court contains the large engraved marble slab of the War Memorial,
casts of ancient Greek Heroes with the Books of the Fallen
and the British Legion Standards.
The books, record those from Aberdeen who died serving their country
in two world wars and the conflicts since.
Over the memorial,
in a niche on the balcony stands a cast of
The Winged Victory of Samothrace,
also called the Nike of Samothrace.
It is a 2nd-century BC marble sculpture of the Greek goddess Nike (Victory).
The original is prominently displayed at the Louvre
and is one of the most celebrated sculptures in the world.
H.W. Janson described it as "the greatest masterpiece of Hellenistic sculpture.
Modern excavations suggest that the Victory occupied a niche in an open-air theatre and also suggest it accompanied an altar .
Rendered in white Parian marble,
the figure originally formed part of the Samothrace temple complex
dedicated to the Great gods, Megaloi Theoi.
It stood on a rostral pedestal of gray marble from Lartos
representing the prow of a ship (most likely a trihemiolia),
and represents the goddess as she descends from the skies to the triumphant fleet. Before she lost her arms, which have never been recovered,
Nike's right arm is believed to have been raised,
cupped round her mouth to deliver the shout of Victory.

In the Court also hangs the Piper Alpha Memorial Banner
gifted by the Trades of Australia.

Most people are familiar with the Lion and the War Memorial on Schoolhill,
but probably few have ever ventured into the Memorial Court.
It is a very special place with its own atmosphere
that imbues the silence with gravitas
and makes you talk in whispers.

I have used a wide angle lens,
despite the obvious distortion,
because I wanted to include the dome
and the Court is quite small.
Designed in 1925 by A Marshall Mackenzie
the Court is a tour de force.
The circle of glass at its apex
sends a beam of light down into the courtyard.

When the light is strong it has a magical quality
that plucks an ancient chord.