Craving a touch of Dickensian charm? Here stands the Little Nell Statue. It is a curious sculpture in this corner of Hyde Park. Let’s unravel its story.
This statue isn’t just any artwork. It’s a concrete cast of an original created in 1897. The artist was William Robert Colton. Colton was a noted sculptor of his time.
Look closely. You’ll see a nearly naked girl wearing a hat. She holds a fish under each arm. This image has led to various names for the statue. It’s been called the Memorial Fountain. Some knew it as the Mermaid Fountain. Others called it the Colton Memorial. Only later did it become known as Little Nell.
But who is Little Nell? She is a character from Charles Dickens’s novel, “The Old Curiosity Shop.” It’s not entirely clear why Colton’s sculpture is associated with her.
Colton was quite the globe-trotter. He created public sculptures in London. His work extended far beyond England. He crafted statues and busts of Indian royalty in the mid-1900s. These included the Maharajah of Mysore and the Dewan of Mysore. He even created a monument to J. Tata in Bombay.
One of Colton’s sculptures in Mysore had an issue. It was a statue of Chamaraja Wodeyar. The queen was not happy with the statue’s face. She felt it didn’t resemble her late husband.
Colton’s background is interesting. His father was an architect. William was born in Paris. He moved to England at the age of three. He studied art at the Lambeth School of Art. Later, he attended the Royal Academy.
Interestingly, there’s a connection to the British Empire. Colton sculpted notable Indians. Also, Hyde Park itself has other imperial links. Nearby stands the Cavalry Memorial. It commemorates soldiers who fought in Egypt, South Africa, and British India.
This Little Nell Statue seems to need some love and care. It appears crazed, cracked, and scarred. Despite its condition, it holds a special place in Hyde Park. It invites us to ponder its history. It makes us think about Dickens and the sculptor who created it. It reminds us of Britain’s imperial past.
So, next time you’re in Hyde Park, take a moment. Visit Little Nell. Think about the stories it holds within its weathered form. It’s a small piece of art with a big history. It connects London to the world.