| Statue of Charles II | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Artist | Grinling Gibbons |
| Completion date | c. 1680 |
| Type | Statue |
| Medium | Brass |
| Subject | Charles II of England |
| Dimensions | 1.55 m × 1.18 m (5.1 ft × 3.9 ft) |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 51°29′14″N0°09′28″W / 51.4871°N 0.1577°W /51.4871; -0.1577 |
Listed Building – Grade I | |
| Official name | Statue of Charles II in centre of middle courtyard in main buildings, Royal Hospital |
| Designated | 5 April 1969 |
| Reference no. | 1226477[1] |
Thestatue of Charles II stands in the Figure, or Middle, Court of theRoyal Hospital,Chelsea, London. The sculptor wasGrinling Gibbons, and the statue was executed around 1680–1682. The king founded the Royal Hospital in 1682 as a home for retired army veterans. The statue is aGrade I listed structure.
Charles II founded the Royal Hospital in 1682 to care for "those broken by age or war".[2] The inspiration was theHôtel des Invalides in Paris, founded byLouis XIV of France.[3] The commission was given toChristopher Wren[2] and construction continued from 1682 to 1691.[3] The statue of Charles was commissioned byTobias Rustat, a member of the king's court[4] and was designed by Grinling Gibbons[5] in about 1682.[1] Gibbons's fee was £500.[6] The statue originally stood elsewhere and was moved to the Royal Hospital after Charles's death in 1685.[7] Annually, on 29 May,Oak Apple Day, the traditional day for the celebration of theRestoration in 1660, the statue is wreathed with oak leaves.[8]
The statue is ofbrass and was originally gilded inbronze.[1] It has been re-gilded subsequently[5] to commemorate theGolden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2002.[9] It depicts the king in the attire of aRoman general,[5] is 7.6 ft high, and stands on a marble plinth.[4] The statue was designated aGrade I listed structure, the highest grading given to buildings and structures of "exceptional interest", in 1969.[1]
Media related toStatue of Charles II, Royal Hospital Chelsea at Wikimedia Commons
