Larry La Trobe, Bronze dog sculpture in City Square, Melbourne, Australia
Larry La Trobe is a life-size bronze dog sculpture positioned at the corner of Collins and Swanston Streets near Melbourne Town Hall. The work depicts a dingo-like canine form placed directly on the footpath of Swanston Street, integrated into the everyday streetscape.
The sculpture was created by artist Pamela Irving in 1992, but was stolen in 1995 and replaced with a new casting in 1996. This cycle of loss and restoration became part of the artwork's own history.
The sculpture merges the name of Irving's uncle Larry with La Trobe, Victoria's first Lieutenant-Governor, connecting personal family history with Melbourne's civic past. This dual naming reflects how public artworks can weave together private memories and official local identity.
The sculpture stands directly on the footpath and is easily accessible on foot, allowing photographs from many angles. Visitors passing through the Collins and Swanston Street area will find it completely free to view at any time of day.
The 1996 replacement was cast with a different surface treatment, giving the new version its own appearance. Observant visitors may notice this subtle distinction between original and replacement, making the work a kind of double sculpture with two distinct identities.
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