Artist/Maker
Joseph Wilton
(1722 - 1803)
Related person
King George III
(English, 1738 – 1820)
Tail fragment of the Equestrian Statue of King George III
1770-1776
andNew York, New York, United States, North America
Place madeEngland, Europe
Lead
Overall: 8 in. × 6 in. × 28 1/2 in. (20.3 × 15.2 × 72.4 cm)
Purchase
1878.6
After listening to a public reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1776, Continental soldiers joined with patriotic New Yorkers in Bowling Green to tear down an equestrian statue of King George III.
Fragments of the statue were transported to Litchfield, Connecticut and made into bullets for the Revolutionary troops. It is believed that Connecticut Loyalists took some of the fragments and hid them in and around their homes, for pieces such as this have been found buried in the area.
DescriptionFragment of molded lead statue; traces of gilding on one side; fragment molded in rippled form, probably for horse's tail.ClassificationsHISTORIC RELICS
Collections
- Sculpture Highlights
- Collection Highlights
Joseph Wilton
ca. 1770
1874.6
George Washington
1789
1925.125
