Standbeeld Ary Scheffer, Bronze monument at Scheffersplein, Dordrecht, Netherlands
Standbeeld Ary Scheffer is a bronze statue depicting the artist standing with crossed legs, holding a palette in his left hand and a brush in his right. The figure stands on a pedestal that displays his birth and death dates.
The monument was created between 1859 and 1861, marking the first memorial dedicated to a contemporary artist in the Netherlands during the 19th century. This honor reflected the growing recognition of living artists in Dutch society.
The statue was designed by Scheffer's daughter Cornelia together with sculptor Joseph Mezzara. The family rejected a competing proposal from Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, who would later create the Statue of Liberty.
The statue stands in an open public square at Scheffersplein, making it accessible at any time without restrictions. Its location in the city center means you can easily visit it while exploring other local attractions.
The bronze was cast at the Eck and Durand foundry in Paris, where Scheffer spent most of his artistic career. The completed work then traveled by train to reach its final home in the Netherlands.
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