Physical Energy, Bronze equestrian sculpture in Kensington Gardens, United Kingdom
Physical Energy is a bronze equestrian statue in Kensington Gardens, City of Westminster, showing a rider leaning forward on horseback. It stands on a stone pedestal in the open parkland, which allows you to walk all the way around it and see it from every angle.
George Frederic Watts began working on the design in the 1880s and completed the plaster model shortly before his death in 1904. The first bronze cast was put in place in Kensington Gardens in 1907, a few years after the artist died.
The name of the work comes from the idea of raw human energy pushing forward against resistance, which is visible in the posture of the rider leaning over the horse. Visitors to the park often stop in front of it because the figure seems to be moving even while standing still.
The statue is located inside Kensington Gardens, a short walk from the Lancaster Gate or Queensway underground stations. It is not right next to an entrance, so it helps to check a park map before heading in.
Only 4 bronze casts of this work were ever made, and they ended up on 3 different continents. One is in Cape Town, one in Harare, one at the Watts Gallery in Surrey, and one here in Kensington Gardens.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
