Statue

Johnson statue

Erection date: 6/8/1910

Inscription

{On the front of the pedestal:}
Samuel Johnson LLD, critic, essayist, philologist, biographer, wit, poet, moralist, dramatist, political writer, talker. Born 1709, died 1784.
The gift and handiwork of Percy Fitzgerald, FSA and erected by the Revd. S. Pennington, MA, Rector of St. Clement Danes, 1910.
{Around the pedestal there are 3 large bronze reliefs:
- on front - Boswell's head in profile, inscribed "Boswell"
- on left hand side - Johnson with Mrs Thrale, inscribed "Mrs Thrale"
- on right hand side - Johnson with Boswell, in the Highlands}

This bronze statue is placed close to St Clement Dane's church, the one that Johnson attended. Reverend Pennington, the rector at St Clements, was the donor of the statue. He died just as the statue was ready so it was thought appropriate to unveil the work as the body was conveyed into the church for the lying in state.
Fitzgerald, the sculptor, modelled the face on the portrait by Reynolds and Nolleken's bust. Fitzgerald also unveiled the statue when the death of Edward VII caused the planned royal unveiling by his daughter, Princess Louise, to be cancelled.
The statue and the 3 bronze reliefs are, putting it charitably, modelled in a very rough style.

Site: Johnson, Reader & others (4 memorials)

WC2, Fleet Street

This small area contain 4 memorials: a statue, a bench a well and a large plaque.

Credit for this entry to: Bob Baker

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

Subjects commemorated i

James Boswell

Born Edinburgh, died London. Known for his two-volume biography 'The Life Of...

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Dr Samuel Johnson

Essayist, biographer, lexicographer and speaker of quotes. Born Lichfield, St...

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Mrs Hester Thrale (Piozzi)

Writer and good friend to Samuel Johnson. Born near Bwlheli, Caernarvonshire,...

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

Created by i

Percy Fitzgerald, FSA

Sculptor, painter and author. Born Ireland.  The picture source website has a...

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E. J. Parlanti

Bronze founder. Ercole Felipo Giacomo Parlanti was born in Rome. He and his o...

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J.J.H. Septimus Pennington, Rector

Rector of St Clement Danes in the Strand. The lady beside the Rector in the p...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Johnson statue

Also at this site i

Ralph Reader

Ralph Reader

{Plaque on the horizontal surface of the stone bench:} In memory of Squadron...

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St Clement Danes

St Clement Danes

St. Clement Danes Built by the Danish community in the ninth century and rebu...

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St Clement Danes well

St Clement Danes well

The well underneath 191 feet deep & containing L 50 of water was sunk &a...

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