Burnside Fountain
Encyclopedia
The Burnside Fountain, affectionately called Turtle Boy, is a statue of a boy "riding" a hawksbill sea turtle
created by sculptor Charles Y. Harvey. The statue stands on a pedestal of pink granite created by architect Henry Bacon
, who later designed the Lincoln Memorial
in Washington, DC. The Fountain, while originally placed in Central Square, Worcester
, Massachusetts
, it is now located on Worcester Common
.
Daniel Chester French
was the artist chosen for the Burnside Fountain. He supervised Charles Harvey, who actually designed and sculpted it. Sherry Fry completed the sculpture after the death of Harvey.
The Fountain was originally located in Central Square, then moved across the street to its current location in 1969. Since then it has been stolen
on one occasion. Several other attempts to purloin the sculpture were foiled.
The designation "fountain" is puzzling because there is no water in the basins of the fountain today. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, a philanthropic movement centered around the difficult lives of the many horses that provided transportation in cities. Philanthropists wishing to ease the lives of these animals provided public watering troughs. Some were simple, but others were works of art featuring sculpture, of which the Burnside Fountain is an example. Originally, water poured from the turtle's mouth into a series of four drinking basins for horses. There is also a lower trough for dogs to drink from at the rear of the pedestal.
In 2010, The fountain was named one of WAAF
's "Hill-Man's 25 Greatest Places in Massachusetts", as well as nominated for "Worst Public Art in New England
" by a regional Art blog
.
in Copenhagen
or the Manneken Pis
in Brussels
. A local music contest is called the Turtle Boy Music Award and at least one children's story has been written about the statue.
Sea turtle
Sea turtles are marine reptiles that inhabit all of the world's oceans except the Arctic.-Distribution:...
created by sculptor Charles Y. Harvey. The statue stands on a pedestal of pink granite created by architect Henry Bacon
Henry Bacon
Henry Bacon was an American Beaux-Arts architect who is best remembered for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. , which was his final project.- Education and early career :...
, who later designed the Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior...
in Washington, DC. The Fountain, while originally placed in Central Square, Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, it is now located on Worcester Common
Worcester City Hall and Common
Main Street facade|thumbnail|left|150pxWorcester City Hall and Common is a historic city hall and town common at 455 Main Street in Worcester, Massachusetts.The Common, established in 1669, originally encompassed about of land compared to its at present...
.
History
Harriett P.F. Burnside gave $5,000 to the city of Worcester in 1905. This money was to create a sculpture and fountain for the public and their horses in memory of Burnside's father. The fountain was given to the city in 1912 by Harriet Pamela Foster Burnside.Daniel Chester French
Daniel Chester French
Daniel Chester French was an American sculptor. His best-known work is the sculpture of a seated Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.-Life and career:...
was the artist chosen for the Burnside Fountain. He supervised Charles Harvey, who actually designed and sculpted it. Sherry Fry completed the sculpture after the death of Harvey.
The Fountain was originally located in Central Square, then moved across the street to its current location in 1969. Since then it has been stolen
Art theft
Art theft is usually for the purpose of resale or for ransom . Stolen art is sometimes used by criminals to secure loans.. One must realize that only a small percentage of stolen art is recovered. Estimates range from 5 to 10%. This means that little is known about the scope and characteristics of...
on one occasion. Several other attempts to purloin the sculpture were foiled.
The designation "fountain" is puzzling because there is no water in the basins of the fountain today. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, a philanthropic movement centered around the difficult lives of the many horses that provided transportation in cities. Philanthropists wishing to ease the lives of these animals provided public watering troughs. Some were simple, but others were works of art featuring sculpture, of which the Burnside Fountain is an example. Originally, water poured from the turtle's mouth into a series of four drinking basins for horses. There is also a lower trough for dogs to drink from at the rear of the pedestal.
In 2010, The fountain was named one of WAAF
WAAF
WAAF may refer to:*Women's Auxiliary Air Force, a British military service in World War II**Waaf, a member of the service*WAAF , a radio station licensed to Westborough, Massachusetts, United States...
's "Hill-Man's 25 Greatest Places in Massachusetts", as well as nominated for "Worst Public Art in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
" by a regional Art blog
Art blog
An art blog is a common type of blog that comments on art. More recently, as with other types of blogs, some art blogs have taken on 'web 2.0' social networking features...
.
As mascot
"Turtle Boy" has become a mascot for Worcester a way analogous to The Little MermaidThe Little Mermaid (statue)
The statue of The Little Mermaid sits on a rock in the harbour of the capital of Denmark. Based on a tale by Hans Christian Andersen, the small and unimposing statue is a Copenhagen icon and a major tourist attraction....
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
or the Manneken Pis
Manneken Pis
, is a famous Brussels landmark. It is a small bronze fountain sculpture depicting a naked little boy urinating into the fountain's basin. It was designed by Jerome Duquesnoy and put in place in 1618 or 1619...
in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. A local music contest is called the Turtle Boy Music Award and at least one children's story has been written about the statue.