The Court Favourite 1930

Summary

Location: Flagstaff Gardens A dynamic bronze statue representing a llithe, vital youth and his pet lion cub playing boisterously together. It captures them at the moment when the cub, crouching low is tugging fiercly at the youths cloak, entwined around his muscular arm. In his right hand he clasps a decorated baton with an elephant head carved at the tip. The statue sits atop a simple rectangular grey granite pedestal, which contains a bronze inscription. Montford’s The Court Favourite captures the action of a lithe youth playing with his boisterous pet lion cub. The cub crouches low and tugs fiercely at the youth’s cloak. In his right hand the youth clasps a decorated baton, its handpiece a carved elephant head. Councillor Baron Marks donated the statue to the Melbourne City Council. He had initially donated £200 towards statuary for Melbourne’s parks and gardens, but when The Court Favourite became available he increased his donation to £400. The work was unveiled at a formal ceremony on 6 February 1930.