Originally Posted by
ChrisGeorge
I thought it interesting that this building, which now houses Marks and Spencers on Church Street had
the American coat of arms on its southwestern corner and the British coat of arms on the southeastern corner. The coat of arms in the center of the building looked Spanish or else other European. Does anyone have an answer for the use of these varied architectural devices on the same building? Any information appreciated!
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The mesh covering the building during renovation is more obvious, because of the sunlight, in the second shot.
Chris
Compton House, [Marks and Spencer] - built in 1865 for retailer J.R Jeffrey, Compton House holds a unique international status as a contender for the world's first department store, pre-dating Bon Marche in Paris by some 5 years.
Photo. 1. ^ [credit: ChrisGeorge]. On the Tarleton Street corner there is a large eagle which was a beacon for transatlantic travellers seeking the company of fellow Americans in Compton's Hotel, a subsequent use of part of the building after J.R. Jeffrey's had failed.
Photo. 2. ^ [credit: ChrisGeorge]. On Basnett Street corner. The Arms Of Dominion supported by a lion and a unicorn. This is the coat of arms of the United Kingdom and the reigning monarch. This usually incorporates the motto Dieu Et Mon Droit [God And My Right]. Here different wording has been substituted.
Photo. 3 ^ Over the main entrance - A sculptured figure of
Commerce above a broken pediment that once surmounted a single central entrance.
Photo. 4 ^ This statue at the centre of the huge building's Church Street façade is a variant of the city's arms, in which
Neptune (on the left) and a
Triton (on the right) are normally depicted standing upright. The shield, depicting the Liver bird holding a piece of seaweed, is atypically ornate too, but the motto, 'Deus Nobis Hæc Otia Fecit' ('God has bestowed these blessings on us') is standard.
Source: Liverpool Walks.
Question: "[why these] varied architectural devices on the same building?"
Firstly, the building appears to be a homage to the French Renaissance Style. Maybe with an eye on it's Parisian retail competitor
Bon Marche. Who later opened their own Church Street store, following their one in Paris.
The architectural ornaments themselves, are varied and represent different things.
Ornament, the word, is derived from L.
ornare to "equip, adorn" [meaning to prepare, furnish, fit out]. So by choosing the correct ornaments we are equiping, or preparing the building for it's life. This has it's roots in preparing warriors for battle [adorning them, arming them, is equiping them]. Also, in dressing religious buildings [temples for instance] with festoons, garlands, offerings, congregation, we are preparing them for a particular communion with god, usually on a noted festival days.
We are equiping the building for it's life, and what might a building need for a successful and long life? It would need to have a good relationship with the forces that control it's fate. So ornaments were set up to appeal and appease [offerings] those gods that had dominion over the building, it's inhabitants, and their business.
In photo. 4 we have the Liverpool coat of arms, with
Nepture on one side, and
Triton on the other. Notice, these are all pagan gods.
Britainia is absent, as she normally appears on Public buildings, like the Town Hall, and St. George's Hall pediment [now missing] being prime examples. This highlights the importance of Liverpool's continued good fortune [after
Fortuna the Roman goddess] and it's special relationship with the sea.
The corner-stone offices, [photos 1 and 2] representing the British crown, and the US state eagle, illustrate the importance of alliance, for the the success of the building. They are both first floor office windows, with the best views; the corner-stones of the enterprise.
The final sculpture [photo. 4] is that of
Commence sitting over a broken pediment, above the main entrance, keeping a watchful eye over all that enter the building, and undoubtedly offering some blessing as they pass?
EDIT: It's worth adding that, the architect's were just following a particular style, and paying homage to ancient customs and practices that they'd copied from ancient Greece and Rome. It was afterall, Victorian christian Britain.
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