The bridge that carries Kelvin Way over the River Kelvin has four impressive statues on it, representing “Peace and War”, “Commerce and Industry”, “Navigating and Shipbuilding” and “Philosophy and Inspiration”. These were sculpted by Paul Raphael Montford and completed in 1914 to decorate the bridge.

This one is “Philosophy and Inspiration”. I have not been able to discover whether the philosopher or the lutenist are based on specific people, or are just conceptions, but they do frame the bridge fantastically. In the background you can see the towers of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery.

The bridge was hit by a bomb during the Clydebank Blitz in WW2, and ironically the most-damaged state was that representing war! The arms from the statue were retrieved from the River Kelvin in 1991 and the statue restored to its former glory.

When I was at Uni I guess that I was aware that these status existed, but never really paid any attention to them – but now I have to say that they are quite amazing!