Who are St George and the Dragon?

The public art commission will encourage visitors to think about what the legend of St George means.

How would you translate the legend into a public artwork to reflect this larger than life character and his dragon?

The story of St George and the Dragon is an epic and inspiring one, spanning from the early Christian period through to 1415 when St George became the Patron Saint of England. The stories of his adventures remind us today that there are many ways of interpreting this saint's life.

Some of the greatest insights into the life of St George have been through the medium of art. For example, the earliest known images do not show a dragon at the feet of St George's horse but depict the Roman Emperor Diocletian who is believed to have condemned St George to death in 303AD for resolutely declining to sacrifice to idols.

In later images of St George, Coptic Christians have removed the Emperor Diocletian and replaced it with a crocodile. During the medieval period, a dragon appears at the feet of St George's horse. In other images St George is portrayed as a knight saving the life of a beautiful maiden from the evil dragon.

Just as the story of St George has evolved through the centuries, so do the artworks depicting this great Saint.