‘The Naiad’ by George Wagstaffe, 1958
The Naiad is one of Coventry’s most beloved artworks, created by Coventry-born artist and sculptor George Wagstaffe. In 1958, George won a prize at the Young Contemporaries exhibition held at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. Coventry City Architect Arthur Ling, successor of Donald Gibson, saw the sculpture at the exhibition and commissioned a bronze copy for the city of Coventry in 1960.
The artist based this sculpture of a water nymph sitting in a pool of water upon imagery from Greek mythology. The Naiad was displayed for many years in a pool in Palace Yard, at the rear of the former Coventry City Council planning office on Earl Street. It was installed in the Upper Precinct water feature in 2021 as part of the regeneration of the Precinct.
When asked to comment on the Naiad, the artist referred to the following quote by Hippocrates, “Life is short, art is long."