Abstract
When Belsay Hall was being designed in the early 1800s, not every idea made it into the final building. One of the most striking rejected proposals came from antiquarian William Gell, who suggested placing carved female figures — known as caryatids — in place of the columns at the upper level of the Pillar Hall. Sir Charles Monck chose simpler columns instead, and Gell’s figures were never made.
The Unrealised brings those missing figures back. Using Gell’s only surviving sketch as a starting point, the artists used digital and AI tools to imagine what the caryatids might have looked like — and digitally mapped them back onto the columns where they were always meant to stand.
The Unrealised brings those missing figures back. Using Gell’s only surviving sketch as a starting point, the artists used digital and AI tools to imagine what the caryatids might have looked like — and digitally mapped them back onto the columns where they were always meant to stand.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Place of Publication | Belsay Hall |
| Size | digital work |
| Publication status | Published - 27 May 2026 |
| Event | Make and Mend Exhibition - Belsay Hall, United Kingdom Duration: 27 Jun 2026 → 27 Sept 2026 https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/belsay-hall-make-and-mend-27-jun-to-27-sep/ |
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