Statue

George Washington

Erection date: 30/6/1921

Inscription

{On the base of the statue:}
George Washington

{On the plinth:}
Presented to the people of Great Britain and Ireland by the Commonwealth of Virginia, 1921.

The marble original is in Richmond, Virginia, USA. This bronze copy was presented by the Commonwealth of Virginia. There is a story that, since Washington once said he would never stand on English ground, this statue was supplied with some good ol' American soil on which to stand.

Our colleague, Jamie Davis, has found a brief British Pathe item that shows "Washington Statue. Gift of State of Virginia - received on behalf of Nation by Lord Curzon. Trafalgar Square, London."  None of the dignitaries on the film look to us like Curzon.

View from the Mirror has a good post about this statue.

From TribLive, describing the Jefferson Memorial Cemetery, Pittsburgh:
"... in the Presidential Court. It's a historic bronze statue of George Washington. Commissioned by Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin in 1794, sculptor Jean Antoine Houdon created the original marble statue. The artist made a plaster cast of Washington's face to use for the sculpture.
In 1910, the Gorham Manufacturing Co. was authorized to make bronze replicas from the original molds. The resulting statues are displayed all over the country and world, including one at Versailles Palace in France and another at Trafalgar Square in London. The final statue cast stands in the park overlooking some of the first lawn crypts installed here, and the mold no longer exists."

Site: George Washington (1 memorial)

WC2, Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery front lawn

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
George Washington

Subjects commemorated i

George Washington

Born Virginia, USA. First President USA.

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
George Washington

Created by i

George Nathaniel Curzon, Marquess Curzon of Kedleston

Born Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire. Viceroy of India. Successful Foreign Secreta...

Read More

Jean-Antoine Houdon

Jean-Antoine Houdon was born in Versailles, France, on 20 March 1741. He died...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Westminster School - Queen Elizabeth I statue

Westminster School - Queen Elizabeth I statue

SW1, Dean's Yard, Westminster School

Brought to our attention by Londonist's rather tongue-in-cheek post, though we see what they mean about the Polo mint. The sculptor is an...

2 subjects commemorated, 3 creators
Ada Salter - SE16 statue

Ada Salter - SE16 statue

SE16, Bermondsey Wall East, Cherry Gardens

The multi-part sculpture is called 'Dr Salter's Daydream' and shows the whole Salter family. The scene is poignant in that Joyce died at ...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Public Record Office - Queen Anne

Public Record Office - Queen Anne

WC2, Chancery Lane, Maughan Library of King's College, ex-PRO

The first buildings to occupy this site were built in 1232 by Henry III.  The building was known as the Domus Conversorum (the House of C...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Westminster Abbey B - Manche Masemola

Westminster Abbey B - Manche Masemola

SW1, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster Abbey - west porch

Fourteen niches on the West Front remained empty since the Abbey was built until 1998 when they were filled. The lower four are filled wi...

1 subject commemorated, 4 creators
Samuel Bevington statue

Samuel Bevington statue

SE1, Queen Elizabeth Street

The Bevington statue is protected by some nice original railings which seem still to display their original coat of committee green paint.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator