The statue of George III, Somerset House, formally titled George III and the River Thames, is a Grade I listed outdoor bronze sculptural group. Located in the quadrangle of Somerset House in London, the work was created by sculptor John Bacon and was erected between 1778 and 1789.
King George III is depicted dressed in Roman apparel and is shown leaning on a rudder. He is flanked by a lion and the prow of a Roman boat. The figure of Father Thames is shown reclining on a lower, semi-circular plinth, with one hand resting on an urn and a cornucopia positioned behind him.
When Queen Charlotte first viewed the statue of her husband, she asked the sculptor why he had made such a figure. Bacon replied that art cannot always affect what is within the reach of nature - the union of beauty and majesty.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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