Atlas (statue)

Atlas was a ceramic statue that stood on a tall pedestal, holding the world on his shoulders.

The statue itself was a small, only a foot tall, and the globe he held was almost twice his size. In the Earth's far future, the Seventh Doctor admired it in what was once Earth's most famous gallery, now abandoned. The statue was encrusted in centuries of dust, but still intact and perfectly formed.

The Doctor took in all its detail in one glance: "The expression on his face, carved in loving accuracy, was one of great exertion, but joy at being able to perform his responsible task. Tiny ceramic beads of sweat stood out on his strained ceramic muscles and his tiny ceramic eyes were clenched shut against the weight of the world on his shoulders."

Suddenly, though, the famous statue toppled off his pedestal before the Doctor's eyes, and despite the Doctor's efforts — leaping forward to catch it in its fall — he was unable to stop it falling. It pulled the globe down with it.

Holding the globe's two largest pieces, the Doctor hoped it could be restored, but knew he was deluding himself. (PROSE: The Gallery)

Behind the scenes
The real world Atlas is made of bronze, and the figure is 15 feet tall, suggesting the Atlas encountered by the Doctor is not the original.