Statue of Historic Figure: Robert Burns - Central Park, NY, NY

Robert Burns

Central Park

NY, NY

N 40° 46.211 W 073° 58.351

Short Description: 

A monument honoring Scotland's national poet and lyricist Robert Burns is located in Central Park, behind a 3' high iron fence, at the southern end of The Mall in an area known as the the Literary Walk.

Long Description:

A 9.5' by 5.5' by 6.5' bronze statue of Robert Burns depicts the poet seated on a 6.5' by 8.5' by 9.75' red granite base. Robert Burns is seated on a tree stump while looking up over his right shoulder. He is wearing an ascot wrapped around his neck, a long cape over his shoulders that drapes over his right thigh, and knee length booth. In his right hand he holds a quill. His left hand is draped over a side stump.

The sculpture was created by Sir John John Steell and was dedicated on October 2, 1880. The front of the base is inscribed in gold letters ROBERT BURNS

The poet and lyricist Robert Burns was born on January 25, 1759 in Alloway, Scotland. He was mostly home schooled and wrote his first poem when he was fifteen years old. He published his first book, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, in 1786. The book became an instant success and he became known as the great peasant poet. His interest in preserving the Scottish heritage inspired Burns to spend the last twelve years of his life collecting, editing and creating traditional folk songs for the publication Select Collection of Original Scottish Airs featuring such well known standards as "Auld Lang Syne" and "My Love is Like a Red Red Rose".