Regent Street Looking Towards the Duke of York's Column, plate twelve from Original Views of London as It Is 1842

Thomas Shotter Boys rendered this watercolor of Regent Street sometime in the mid-19th century. Here, the column dedicated to the Duke of York rises in the distance, a slender echo of ancient obelisks. These vertical monuments, reaching towards the sky, have long symbolized power and commemoration. From the obelisks of ancient Egypt, representing the sun god Ra, to the triumphal columns of Rome, like Trajan’s Column, these structures served to immortalize rulers and victories. The Duke of York's Column, while honoring a more recent figure, taps into this deep well of cultural memory. Notice how this column punctuates the scene, acting as a focal point. It unconsciously evokes a sense of stability and historical continuity amid the bustle of modern London, reminding us that even in the throes of change, certain symbols endure, carrying echoes of the past into the present.