Ship in bottle: Scale model of Nelson's HMS Victory unveiled at Trafalgar Square
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}LONDON (AP) — 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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
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Online:
www.fourthplinth.co.uk