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All the United Kingdom England Leeds 'The Boules Player'
AO Edited

'The Boules Player'

This sculpture celebrates a boules tournament and the link between Leeds and its twin city Lille.

Leeds, England

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About

As the world moved past the millennium, sculptor Roger Burnett created a work of art to mark the annual Northern Pétanque Colliers CRE Cup. The sculpture was unveiled by the Lord Mayor of Leed’s twin city Lille.

The bronze sculpture itself showcases a flat-capped, French boules player in the midst of a throw, while a family of three overlooks the game.

It appears that the sculpture was a difficult assignment for Burnett, especially when it came to designing the family as he noted in his diary, 

“I've moved them through every position imaginable: standing, sitting, leaning, squatting, huddled together, set apart. I've added figures and switched males for females. My couple - for that's what I finished up with - then gave birth to a child."

Next to the statues is a full-sized pétanque (boules) court. There is an information board providing the basic rules of pétanque. 

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The sculpture can be found in an enclosed square, so it's best to park in one of the car parks and proceed on foot. 

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Published

May 20, 2021

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'The Boules Player'
2 Bond St
Leeds, England, LS1 2JZ
United Kingdom
53.797566, -1.547942
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