Location: 103rd Street, east side
Artist/Designer: Bessie Potter Vonnoh
Materials: Bronze, Milford pink granite, slate
Installation: 1936
Funding: Frances Hodgson Burnett Memorial Committee
Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924) was an English-born writer of novels and plays and was best known for her children’s stories. Her most famous tales are A Little Princess and The Secret Garden. Sculptor Bessie Potter Vonnoh created a fountain with characters from The Secret Garden for Central Park’s Conservatory Garden.
In Burnett’s story, two children, Mary and Dickon, find a secret garden and bring it back to life. The statue in Conservatory Garden depicts Mary holding a platter (which makes a wonderful birdbath) while behind her Dickon lies against a stone, playing a flute. The grouping provides a masterful centerpiece for Central Park’s beautiful English garden.
Burnett Memorial Fountain
(Secret Garden)
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