Press releases

Sir Hans Sloane statue

15 June 2007

A statue celebrating Sir Hans Sloane was unveiled at a ceremony in Duke of York Square on 14 June by the Council and Cadogan Estates. The Mayor, Cllr Andrew Dalton and the Earl Cadogan performed the unveiling in the new SW3 temporary location, close to the Saatchi Gallery, until it moves to its permanent site in Sloane Square in about three years. The Mayor said: "This statue is of great significance to the history of Chelsea and I am pleased to be able to recognise the hard work and determination of the sculptor in faithfully reproducing Rysbrack's original statue. I am also delighted to celebrate its unveiling in this splendid setting." The statue is based on the original carved by John Michael Rysbrack (1694-1770) in 1737 and stands two meters tall and weighs nearly two tonnes. It is carved from two blocks of Portland limestone which each weighed nearly four tonnes when quarried. The original Rysbrack statue stood in Chelsea Physic Garden where Sir Hans Sloane studied botany and over time the statue became heavily weathered and was in need of repair. The original statue, now deteriorated, is housed in the British Museum, with a cast in the Chelsea Physic Garden. The sculptor, Simon Smith, said: "`I wanted the sculpture to show Sir Hans Sloane as a kind man with a sharp intellect and an enquiring mind. An approachable man of principle and logic, who's morals and philanthropy are still of benefit to us today."