Steell's pigs ear of city statue

Words and photo by Martin McAdam

As a child I remember getting a birthday present of the Ladybird book of Alexander the Great.

The book cover had Alexander on horseback charging into battle. He was dressed in a red tunic with golden armour. He was a hero of the day. At least that is how I remember him from the book. Alexander was born into the royal family of Macedonia. His father was Philip II. Philip had taken over the throne after both his elder brothers had died. He was originally appointed regent for his nephew but quickly consolidated his power and took over the kingdom for himself.

Philip was a brilliant military commander and he allegedly developed the phalanx formation which used the 20 foot-long spear called a sarissa. It was difficult to disrupt a phalanx on the battlefield and it became a powerful weapon.

While attending the wedding of his daughter Cleopatra (not that one!) he was murdered by one of his bodyguards. Philip’s son Alexander became king at the age of only 20.

When Alexander was ten years old, a trader from Thessaly brought Philip a horse. The horse refused to be mounted, and Philip ordered it away. Alexander who was watching from above noticed that the horse seem afraid of its own shadow. Alexander pleaded with his father to be allow to try riding the horse.

He took hold of the reins and turned the horse towards to sun. Unable to see its shadow Alexander then mounted the horse to the astonishment of his father. Philip then kissed his son and declared, “O my son, look thee out a kingdom equal to and worthy of thyself, for Macedonia is too little for thee.” The horse had a patch on it haunch that looked like an ox head and so Alexander named the horse “Bucephalus” meaning “ox head”.

When he was just 13 Philip selected Aristotle to tutor his son. Aristotle’s pay was the reconstruction of his city which Philip had previously destroyed. The exploits and battles of Alexander and Bucephalus are legendary and by the age of 30 Alexander and his horse ruled over one of the greatest empires in the world. Bucephalus died of old age and Alexander was not so lucky at the age of 32 he was most likely assassinated by poisoning.

The Alexander and Bucephalus Statue is situated in front of the Edinburgh City Chambers. This bronze statue is sculpted by

Sir John Steell. The statue was unveiled on 18 April 1884 in St Andrew Square. In 1916 it was moved to the City Chambers where it stands today.

There are plenty of examples of Steell’s works from around the city of Edinburgh. Among his best known works is the statue of Albert Prince Consort in Charlotte Square and covered in The Edinburgh Reporter September edition. He is also responsible for marble statue of Sir Walter Scott and his dog Maida under the canopy of the Scott Monument. The bronze statue of the Duke of Wellington outside Register House opposite the Balmoral Hotel is also by Steell. Steell is also responsible for multiple statues of Robert Burns across the UK including the Burns statues at both Embankment and in Westminster Abbey in London.

Steell was commissioned to create the statue in 1832. It took over 50 years from commission to casting. Steell complained that he was not properly paid for his work and as a result he allegedly took revenge on the council by casting the horse with pigs' ears!