Naiad: Coventry’s Iconic Sculpture

Coventry’s Naiad sculpture, a serene life-sized figure of a young girl, has a story that spans decades. Originally created from fibreglass in 1958 by renowned Coventry artist George Wagstaffe, it was later recast in bronze between 1981 and 1983. The sculpture once adorned a square off Earl Street, where the girl’s feetless legs rested in the pool, but it fell into disrepair. However, as part of Coventry’s City of Culture remodelling, The Naiad was restored and now sits proudly in the Upper Precinct, symbolizing resilience and artistic continuity.

The sculpture holds a significant place in Coventry's cultural heritage. Wagstaffe, a local artist who has contributed to the city’s artistic landscape for over 60 years, first gained recognition when The Naiad won the prestigious ICA Young Contemporary Sculpture prize in the late 1950s. 

The figure is particularly intriguing for its mythological reference to water nymphs and the poetic image it evokes—her feetless legs immersed in water, giving her an ethereal presence. A symbol of quiet resilience, The Naiad now rests elegantly in the bustling Precinct, a bridge between Coventry’s past and its evolving future.

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