One critic said it made the late queen look like Mrs Doubtfire. Others faulted the shape of the face, the posture and the wellies. Some called it offensive and ridiculous, and demanded it be melted down.
Mockery and indignation began within hours of the unveiling of the bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth II at Antrim Castle Gardens in Northern Ireland last Friday.
Detractors said it did not resemble the queen. “It’s actually an insult to her majesty’s memory, looks nothing like her,” said one.
“Take it away. It’s blooming awful,” said another.
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The deputy mayor, Paul Dunlop, said the work reflected the late monarch’s passions.
Antrim and Newtownabbey borough council commissioned the local artist Anto Brennan to create the sculpture and professed itself delighted, saying it captured the queen “in a dignified pose, reflecting her grace, steadfastness and lifelong dedication to public service”.
It was placed beside a statue of her husband, the late Prince Philip. Two bronze corgis were also added. “This memorial will stand as a lasting reminder of her dedication to service, her resilience and her ability to unite people across generations,” said Neil Kelly, the mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey.
The deputy mayor, Paul Dunlop, said it reflected the monarch’s passions. “Queen Elizabeth was perhaps happiest when enjoying outdoor life, particularly walking in the countryside and spending time with her dogs.”
But dozens of posters on the council’s Facebook page scorned the sculpture as a blunder. “Whoever signed this off from the council should be made to pay for it themselves, not us rates payers,” said one.
“Oh dear, what a shame, I am very sure our lovely queen would not have wanted to be captured in wellies for all eternity,” said another.
One person compared the likeness to Mrs Doubtfire, the cross-dressing nanny played by Robin Williams in the eponymous 1993 film.
Another wondered if the council had commissioned the same sculptor responsible for the derided bust of Cristiano Ronaldo unveiled at Madeira airport in 2017. Other works to have caused such consternation include the “scary” Lucille Ball statue in New York and the statue of Michael Jackson erected by Fulham football club. Both were removed.
One person expressed sympathy that Brennan, a sculptor known for creating chess-piece figurines of Northern Ireland’s politicians, had become the victim of a social media pile-on. “Such a shame people can only find fault in these but don’t think about the time and effort this guy has put into making them.”
Comments beneath the council’s Facebook post about the unveiling appear to have been turned off.
Vera McWilliam, an Antrim and Newtownabbey councillor, told the BBC the critics had a point: “We have to be honest, it does not resemble the queen in any shape or form.”
In response to the attention generated by the statue, the council acknowledged that art can prompt diverse opinions but said it was delighted with the generally positive response.
It insisted social media “may amplify certain negative viewpoints”.
DUP councillor John Smyth was among those who attended the unveiling last week.
“You can’t change it now once it’s done. Once you cast the bronze statue, that’s it,” he said.
“I was involved in the Duke of Edinburgh statue and we got to see the mould before it was poured and we got to see what the image would be.
“We were quite happy with it, we did changes to his uniform to make it more country effective, rather than military.
“We can’t change it, it would cost more money. People will forget about it in a few weeks’ time.” – Guardian/PA