Central Park In Bronze

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.