Second Shakespeare sculpture offer rejected
Despite agreeing that the sculptor’s work was very impressive, councillors decided that the potential cost of £2,200 to £2,900 to bronze the piece, was too much for the council to commit to at this time.
Councillors also said that if any such sculpture was commissioned in the future, serious consideration should be made to employing a local artist.
Stratford mayor, Cllr Tessa Bates, said: “I think the cost puts me right off, with all the things we are doing at the moment we don’t need to spend £2,000 to £3,000 at this time.”
Cllr Jason Fojtik added: “The majority of the precept comes from local people, the money should be spent back in the town for local people, this proposal would be more appropriate for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust to look at.”
Mr Piccoli e-mailed the council with the offer. In his proposal, he included previous work of his that included busts of Austrian composer and artist, Arnold Schoenberg, Greek god, Zeus, and Pope Benedict XVI Councillors voted not to pursue Mr Piccoli’s proposal but agreed to pass the artist’s details on to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
Mr Piccoli told the Herald: “I am glad that the people involved appreciated my work and hope that, despite they could not accept my proposal, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust will think that my proposal will deserve some attention.
“My motivation for getting in touch with the council was the great admiration I have for an artist like Shakespeare, whose immense value I will not dwell upon.
“I decided to present this portrait in order to make the quality of my work known abroad. For this reason, I had thought to offer this bust for free, except for what concerned the bronze fusion, which would have been too expensive for me.”
The town council has yet to decide on its recommendation of where a statue of William Shakespeare should be located. The statue was commissioned, and paid for, by Tony Bird.
A public consultation on the location was held earlier this summer, but the findings of which have yet to be published.