Sir Thomas Brock, the sculptor, is perhaps best known for his two monumental works in London, the immense Imperial Memorial to Queen Victoria that stands in front of Buckingham Palace, and the statue of her husband that forms the centrepiece of the Albert Memorial. I’ve always thought that the former must act as an incentive to the present Queen every time she’s driven home – “Six more years ’til I overtake her and become the top monarch of all time!” – and the latter as a continuing rebuke to the present royal spouse, the Duke of Edinburgh, clearly unworthy of such a magnificent monument himself.

But back to Brock. I’ve been reading up on Victorian sculpture for vanilla reasons (don’t ask!), but happened upon a picture of this rather wonderful work, now in the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff:

Oh, what an image! Made to strip for her punishment. Ashamed, unable to meet her disciplinarian’s eyes. Waiting to be tied in position to be whipped.

(Or maybe it’s Eve in the Garden of Eden. But I prefer my interpretation).