William Grant Stevenson's "William Wallace"

On this Day in the History of Art: George Inness born (1825), Jules Breton born (1827), Anthony Frederick Augustus Sandys born (1829), Adelsteen Normann born (1848), Theo Van Gogh born (1857), Ralph Stackpole born (1885), Antonín Dvořák died (1904), Empire State Building dedicated (1931)

Nationality: Scottish
Born-Died: 1849 - 1919
Creation Date: 1888
Media: Bronze
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland, UK

Since today is the 683rd anniversary of Scotland gaining it's independence from England I am posting an image of this fantastic statue of William Wallace. The historical record for this sculpture states that Wallace is "returning [a] defiant answer to English ambassadors before the battle of Stirling Bridge" but I don't know what his gesture means specifically.


In addition to saying "In Honor of William Wallace Guardian of Scotland", also written on the plinth is the following, apparently a quote from Wallace himself:

"When I was a youth, and under the care of my uncle, all that I could carry away from him was a single proverb, but it seemed to me above all price, and I never forgot it. It was this: 'I tell you a truth, liberty is the best of all things. My son, never live under a slavish bond."