Statue_of_Jan_Smuts,_Parliament_Square

Statue of Jan Smuts, Parliament Square

Statue of Jan Smuts, Parliament Square

Sculpture by Jacob Epstein in London

A life-size bronze statue of Jan Smuts by the British artist Jacob Epstein stands on the north side of Parliament Square in London, United Kingdom, between a statue of Lord Palmerston and a statue of David Lloyd George.[1]

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Description

The statue depicts him in his military uniform as a field marshal, leaning forward with his left leg advanced, as if walking forward. The statue stands on a pedestal of granite from South Africa, which bears the inscription JAN/ CHRISTIAN/ SMUTS/ 1870–1950.

History

After Winston Churchill won the general election in October 1951, he proposed erecting a statue in Parliament Square as a memorial to Smuts, who had died in September 1950. Churchill retired as prime minister in 1955, and was too ill to perform the unveiling in November 1956; it was unveiled instead by the Speaker of the House of Commons, William Morrison. The statue became a Grade II listed building in 1970.[2]

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "Statues". Greater London Authority. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  2. [2]
    "STATUE OF FIELD MARSHAL JAN SMUTS, non Civil Parish - 1226373 | Historic England". Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
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