Ever wondered who rests so calmly near Smith Walk? It is the Edgar Fahs Smith Statue. This monument honors Edgar Fahs Smith. He was a provost at the University of Pennsylvania.
The Edgar Fahs Smith Statue stands on the University of Pennsylvania campus. The statue’s story began in March 1924. News outlets announced a statue for Smith. John C. Bell, a university trustee, gifted it. Bell also donated a statue of Charles Custis Harrison.
R. Tait McKenzie designed the Edgar Fahs Smith Statue. He was a professor and director of physical education. McKenzie also designed a piece for the 1912 Summer Olympics. He later designed statues of Benjamin Franklin and George Whitefield for the university. Horace Trumbauer designed the pedestal. The Edgar Fahs Smith Statue was sculpted in 1925. The Roman Bronze Works of New York City cast it. The monument was dedicated on June 12, 1926.
Let’s examine the Edgar Fahs Smith Statue more closely. The bronze statue is about 5.8 feet tall. It sits on a limestone pedestal. The pedestal is about 4 feet tall. It has an ornamental border. Smith wears an academic robe. He sits next to a stack of four books. His arms rest on the chair’s arms. His left hand holds his academic cap. Smith’s left foot rests on a snake’s head. The snake’s tail curls around the chair’s leg. According to a 2019 article, the snake represents error. Science destroys this error.
The Edgar Fahs Smith Statue bears inscriptions. The back shows foundry marks and McKenzie’s signature. The books’ spines read: “A TRIBUTE OF AFFECTION FROM JOHN C. BELL CLASS 1884”. The front says: “EDGAR FAHS SMITH PROVOST 1911 1920 TEACHER INVESTIGATOR FRIEND BORN 1856 DIED 1928”.
The Edgar Fahs Smith Statue faces the Fisher Fine Arts Library. It stands near 34th Street. It marks the west end of Smith Walk. A war memorial marks the east end.
In 1992, the Edgar Fahs Smith Statue was surveyed. This was part of the Save Outdoor Sculpture project. The Edgar Fahs Smith Statue is more than a monument. It embodies dedication and the pursuit of knowledge. It reminds us of Edgar Fahs Smith. He was a teacher, investigator, and friend.