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Creating Major General Sir Isaac Brock: The Hero of Upper Canada. I am Marlene Hilton
Moore, the artist who created the 14 statues and busts for the Valiants Memorial in Confederation
Square. Busts have been used for hundreds of years to represent a person. Because a
bust presents only the partial body of a person, it must be as true-to-life as possible in
terms of appearance, but must also render the person’s spirit, strength and character.
For Brock’s portrait in clay, I created a steady and confident gaze that would impart
an air of pride and glory to the sculpture of Major General Sir Isaac Brock. Isaac Brock
was born on the island of Guernsey, in England. A disciplined and athletic student, he followed
in the footsteps of his father and three of his brothers, joining the British army at
the age of 15. He was known as a physically imposing man. He had an uncommon magnetism
and was extremely intelligent. In 1802, he was transferred to Canada, where, ultimately,
his name would go down in history. Brock won several victories in battles fought to defend
Upper Canada in the War of 1812. He died during the battle of Queenston Heights near Niagara
Falls on October 13, 1812. He was shot in the heart, as he was leading the charge against
the American troops. It was the first major battle in the War of 1812 which ended in a
British victory. In creating a bust of someone such as Sir Isaac Brock, the details are extremely
important, clothing, artifacts, placement, as well as portrait likeness. Brock died before
hearing the news that he had been appointed an extra knight of the Order of the Bath,
by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent. He was bestowed this honour four days before he died, in recognition
of his victory at the battle of Detroit early in the War of 1812. As he never wore the medal
in life it is placed on the pedestal and not on his uniform. The bust was created using
a reproduction of a pastel portrait that belongs to his descendents — the only authentic
portrait of Brock known today. In the portrait, Brock is depicted sometime before the Battle
of Queenston Heights, when he was 43 years old. He is represented in profile, wearing
his military uniform. With the help of an historian and a curator specializing in the
history of the War of 1812, I was able to track down the military jacket with the double
row of buttons and high collar, as well as the epaulettes worn by Sir Isaac Brock himself.
In fact, the hole made by the musket ball that killed him is visible on the front of
his jacket in the collection of the Canadian War Museum. His black felt bicorne hat was
recreated by a milliner who meticulously copied the details of its end points and copper braiding.
The hat was ordered by Sir Isaac Brock himself. However, he never wore it, because it arrived
from England after his death. It was placed on his coffin during his funeral. Like Laura
Secord and Charles de Salaberry, Isaac Brock was honoured with a Canadian postage stamp
commemorating the 200th anniversary of his birth. The Township of Brock in the Niagara
Region and Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, were also named in his honour. Isaac
Brock changed the course of history. If not for his presence in Upper Canada, the province
might have fallen into American hands. It’s easy to understand why he has been called
the “Saviour of Upper Canada.”