Edmund Burke (Thomas)

Edmund Burke is a bronze full length statue of Irish statesman, author, orator, political theorist and philosopher Edmund Burke by British artist James Havard Thomas. The original is in Bristol, England, with a second cast on Massachusetts Avenue at 11th and "L" Streets, NW, in Washington, D.C., United States.

This article is about the statue in Washington D.C., United States. For the statue in Bristol, England, see Statue of Edmund Burke, Bristol.

Edmund Burke
Artist	James Havard Thomas
Year	1894, second cast 1922
Type	Bronze
Dimensions	240 cm × 100 cm × 100 cm (96 in × 39.5 in × 39.5 in)
Location	Bristol, England; Washington, D.C.
Owner	National Park Service (in US)
Edmund Burke
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Location	Washington, D.C.
Coordinates	38°54′14″N 77°1′38.8″W
Area	less than one acre
Part of	American Revolution Statuary.
NRHP reference No.	78000256[1]
Added to NRHP	July 14, 1978[2]

Description

The full length sculpture of Burke depicts him stepping forward with his right leg. He is waving his right hand, and in his left hand he holds a three-cornered hat at his side. He wears a long jacket, a vest, and breeches. His hair curls up just above his ears and is parted down the middle.[3]

About the Washington DC statue

The sculpture sits upon a rectangular granite base (H. 72 in. x 92 in.). The sculpture is signed: I. HAVARD THOMAS FECIT MDCCCXCIV CAST Á CIRE PERDVE H.H. MARTYN & Co. Ltd. Cheltenham 1922.

The front (east) side of the base is inscribed with:

BVRKE
1729–1797
"MAGNANIMITY
IN POLITICS IS
NOT SELDOM THE
TRVEST WISDOM"

The west side of the base is inscribed with:

THIS STATVE
A COPY OF THE WORK
OF HAVARD THOMAS IN
THE CITY OF BRISTOL
ENGLAND WAS PRESENT-
ED THROVGH THE SVL-
GRAVE INSTITVTION TO
THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA
BY SIR CHARLES CHEERS
WAKEFIELD BARONET
FORMERLY LORD MAYOR
OF LONDON
ERECTED A.D. 1922[3]

The Washington, D.C., sculpture is a cast of the original which is on display in Bristol, England. Cast by H.H. Martyn & Company, the sculpture was presented to the United States by Sir Charles Cheers Wakefield, former Lord Mayor of London. It was dedicated on October 12, 1922.

In September 1922, Frederick D. Owen built a temporary base for the sculpture, which was moved during courthouse renovations in 1922–1923. The permanent base, built in June 1923, was built by Horace W. Peaslee, with stonework by New England Granite Works.[3]

As part of American Revolution Statuary in Washington, D.C. the statue has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since July 1978.

Edmund Burke was surveyed by the Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture! survey in May 1993 for its condition and was described as "well maintained."[3]

Gallery

• 
  Full-angled view
• 
  Closeup
• 
  Front inscription
• 
  Back inscription
• 
  Sculptor signature and founder data

See also

• List of public art in Washington, D.C., Ward 2

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
2. "American Revolution Statuary". National Park Service. July 14, 1978. Archived from the original on February 20, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
3. Save Outdoor Sculptures! (1993). "Edmund Burke, (sculpture)". SOS!. Smithsonian. Retrieved 29 September 2010.

External links

• Revisiting the Edmund Burke Monument on DCist.
• The statue on dcMemorials.com