Emblems and Tympanum

Unfortunately it is not possible to go outside, onto the balcony. Through the glass doors, you can see a large green field called the Padang, which means ‘flat field’ in Malay. It has witnessed many historically significant events. The Padang bore witness to Singapore’s transition from British settlement to independent nation. Singapore’s first National Day Parade was held on the Padang on the 9th of August 1966. On this day 23,000 men, women and children marched past City Hall to commemorate Singapore’s newly achieved independence. Tap ‘8.1 – National Day Parade’ now to see an image from that day. The Padang continued to host subsequent National Day Celebrations until 1974. The façade of the Supreme Court Wing is symmetrical in design. To the left and right of the balcony are six large columns; they were designed by Italian artist, Rudolfo Nolli, who also created the façade of the City Hall Wing. High above the balcony is the triangular tympanum that marks the entrance of the former Supreme Court, also designed by Nolli. The figures in the tympanum tell the story of law and justice. Look at your screen now to find a close-up image of the tympanum. The central figure is the famous Lady Justice, who holds a set of scales in her hand. The scales were found to be tilted after the second World War, believed to be the result of vibrations from the Japanese bombings. The kneeling figure with outstretched arms is begging for mercy, and is modelled after Nolli’s only daughter, Lina. Other figures represent elements such as the Law, Gratitude, Prosperity and Abundance. Nolli took a year to complete the Tympanum. It weighs 13 tonnes and he made it out of a special material known as granolithic plaster. Under the tympanum are traces of coat of arms. The shape of a lion and a unicorn is all that is visible to us today. During the Gallery’s conservation of the former Supreme Court, traces of three British colonial crests were discovered on the building’s façade. The crests themselves are gone; it is likely that they were removed by the Japanese during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore in a deliberate attempt to remove references to the British. Postwar archival photographs of the building, such as those from the first National Day Parade in 1966, suggest the missing crests were never replaced. Archival drawings that could help reconstruct the crests have not been found either, so in line with the principles of historical preservation, the façade has been retained in its current condition. What remains of the crests has been stabilised with protective agents to prevent further deterioration. On your way out of the gallery today, if you get the chance, look at the frieze around the outside of the balcony you are standing on. The frieze consists of five panels that provide an insight into commerce during Singapore’s colonial past. Look at your screen to learn more about the panels of the frieze. Image © Darren Soh