Springthorpe Memorial - Symbolic References of The Memorial

Symbolic References of The Memorial

The Springthorpe memorial is laden with wide range of sculptural and textual symbolism and includes adaptations of the Bible, the Greek classics, Walt Whitman, Wordsworth, Dante, Browning, Riley, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Springthorpe wanted the structure to stand not just as a memorial for his wife, but also as an expression of the hope in loss for all mankind, and thus Annie’s name was not inscribed anywhere on the memorial. Circling the memorial from the eastern side, looking up at the four gables one reads the words, “Peace Evermore”, “Life Evermore”, “Light Evermore” and “Love Evermore”, which were borrowed from a hymn in Dr. Charles Strong’s collection for the Australian Church. In the original sketches by Desbrowe-Annear, one metope at the end of the memorials frieze was to be filled with a classically inspired laurel wreath, but the completed scheme instead used sculptural bronze snake heads, designed by prominent Melbourne artist and close friend to Springthorpe, Sir John Longstaff. Snake heads were included for their strong association with death, the underworld and also with resurrection. Springthorpe, a devout Protestant doctor also saw the snake as a symbol of his profession and also, as a symbol of Woman. Springthorpe, an avid follower of the English painter and poet Dante Rossetti, refers several times throughout his diary to Rossetti’s Blessed Damozel. Two stanzas from this poem are inscribed in north elevation of the memorial:

The blessed damozel leaned out From the gold bar of Heaven; Her eyes were deeper than the depth Of waters stilled at even; She had three lilies in her hand, And the stars in her hair were seven.”

It is worth noting too, that Annie is depicted in sculpture holding a bouquet of three lilies with a crown of seven stars ( the wreath has since been removed). Included in the sculptural group sits a weeping woman at Annie’s feet, eternalising human grief and sorrow, and on her other side stands the figure of an angel, a representation of god, death and immortality, who places the wreath on Annie’s head.

• Exterior

• Western Side

• Sculpture Group

• Rear view of angel

• Detail of angel

• Mourning figure

• Glass tile roof

• Inscription example