Ship in Bottle: Scale model of Nelson’s HMS Victory unveiled at Trafalgar Square

Ship in bottle: Trafalgar Square artwork unveiled

LONDON — It’s a scale model, but this ship in a bottle is no toy.

The gigantic replica of the Adm. Horatio Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory — placed in a bottle — was unveiled Monday in London’s Trafalgar Square.

Yinka Shonibare’s work — which is 4.7 meters (about 5 yards) long and 3.47 meters (nearly four yards) in diameter — will temporarily occupy the fourth plinth in the square, the public space in London named for the 1805 battle in which Nelson defeated the combined French and Spanish fleets.

Shonibare’s work features 37 sails made from colorful, African-inspired textiles, celebrating London’s vibrant cultural diversity.

Aquarium specialists in Rome made the bottle, the London mayor’s office said in a statement. The ship includes hand-painted timber pieces, 80 canons, brass fittings, twine and canvas.

The fourth plinth was erected in 1841 for an equestrian statue that was never completed. Though it remained empty for a century and a half, it has been occupied since 1999 by artworks erected for 18 months at a time.

Online:

www.fourthplinth.co.uk