Statue

Henry the Navigator statue

Erection date: 12/2/2002

Inscription

{Front of plinth:} Prince Henry the Navigator, 1394 - 1460.

{On the right side of the plinth:}
God wills, man dreams, the work is born.
God willed that the earth be one,
That the sea not divide but unite it.
Anointed by Him, you unveiled the foam,

And the white crest went from island to continent,
Like dawn to the world’s end,
And suddenly the entire earth
Appeared, round, from out of the blue.
   Fernando Pessoa 

{On a small plaque attached to the lower right side of the statue:}
Fundicao de arte de Canelas, LDA. {the founders}

The origin of the statue is mysterious, as it was erected more than fifty years after the sculptor's death. Wikipedia says it was made in 1915. A duplicate of the statue is located at Fall River, Massachusetts, but is credited to the sculptor, Aristide Berto Cianfarani. The Duke of Westminster was present at the unveiling. At the official page of the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic we found a speech concerning the unveiling, where we learn that this is the first statue of a Portuguese personality to be erected in London and that Pessoa wrote the poem about Henry.

Site: Henry the Navigator statue (1 memorial)

SW1, Belgrave Square, Opposite West Halkin Street

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Henry the Navigator statue

Subjects commemorated i

Henry the Navigator

Prince. Born in Porto, Portugal. Son of King John I of Portugal and Philippa ...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Henry the Navigator statue

Created by i

José Simões de Almeida

Sculptor. Born at Figueiró dos Vinhos, Portugal. Known as 'Nephew' to disting...

Read More

Fernando Pessoa

Poet.  Born and died Lisbon.

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Bartok statue

Bartok statue

SW1, Onslow Square

7 foot high. The plaque referred to by the inscription is this one.

4 subjects commemorated, 3 creators
Queen Mother statue

Queen Mother statue

SW1, The Mall

She died aged 101 but here she is shown aged 51, the age she was widowed, wearing the robes of the Order of the Garter. 9 ft 6 ins, bronz...

1 subject commemorated, 8 creators
Queen Victoria statue - Victoria Square

Queen Victoria statue - Victoria Square

SW1, Victoria Square, Private Garden

The bronze statue depicts the Queen as she would have looked when she started her reign, in 1837, and when the square was first laid out,...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Imperial Hotel - statue 05

Imperial Hotel - statue 05

WC1, Russell Square

On this site there used to be a sister hotel to Hotel Russell, also designed by Charles Fitzroy Doll and erected in 1898. It was demolish...

1 creator
Burlington House - Reynolds

Burlington House - Reynolds

W1, Piccadilly, Royal Academy

This building is commonly known as the Royal Academy (of Arts). The wings of the building are occupied by a number of learned societies, ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator

Previously viewed

Luke Allen

Luke Allen

Pilot Officer Luke Elbert Allen was born on 27 December 1917 in Las Animas, Bent, Colorado, USA, the second of the five children of Frank Wilson Allen (1897-1934) and Eugie Mae Allen née Fulbright ...

Person, Armed Forces, USA

War served, WW2
1 memorial
St Dunstans gates - 1999

St Dunstans gates - 1999

E1, Stepney High Street

This small plaque is on the inner gate pier to the right of our photo. We like the way they have copied the idea and the style of the 18...

1 subject commemorated, 6 creators
Tower Bridge, 1994 - centenary

Tower Bridge, 1994 - centenary

E1, Tower Bridge

These plaques are attached to the north-west tower and also the south-east tower, all duplicated except for "opened to the public" which ...

1 subject commemorated, 42 creators
Storm Tree - Charing Cross

Storm Tree - Charing Cross

WC2, Strand

When we first saw the plaque it was in the pavement close to the tree but is now affixed to a nearby pillar.

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
John Kidd and Co.

John Kidd and Co.

E3, Wick Lane, 419, Wick Lane Wharf

The inclusion of the caretaker and his wife on this memorial is intriguing. Andrew Behan has researched these names and confirms that al...

War dead, Civilian war dead | WW2
12 subjects commemorated