Tag Archives: anne davidson

African Woman and Child, an Edinburgh sculpture

This beautiful and emotive bronze sculpture by Anne Davidson stands in the south east corner of Festival Square.

Scottish sculptor, artist and teacher Anne Davidson (1937 – 2008) was commissioned by Edinburgh City Council to create a piece to symbolise the city’s stand against apartheid.

The sculpture depicts a woman standing with a young child in front of the suggestion of a shantytown. It was unveiled in 1986 and stands by the edge of Festival Square on Lothian Road.

Anne studied and taught at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen and her commissioned works are on public view in Scotland and abroad.

Its always been one of my favourite sculptures in the city, and is very moving to see. Perhaps because it is a recent subject compared with many in Edinburgh and one that depicts a struggle that surely goes on today.

I have been meaning to sketch it for some time so it was nice to capture it in watercolour for my WhereArtI competition.