Statue of “Even”, City Square, Leeds, West Yorkshire.
The most controversial feature of the square was a ring of eight nude females holding lamps, which attracted critical letters to the Yorkshire Post when unveiled in 1899. They are by Alfred Drury, now celebrated as a pioneer of the New Sculpture. They are of two forms, one named as “Morn” holding a lamp in her right hand and clutching some flowers, and the other named as “Even” holding a lamp in her left hand, with her other hand to her head.
They were originally arranged on the points of the compass in a circle around the Black Prince. In 1956 they were removed from this arrangement and put in two rows of four. In the 1990s, it was planned to remove them altogether, as Victorian public art was considered by many to be worthless. However, this was resisted and they were placed in their present positions of a three-quarter circle.