County of statue: St. Louis Independent City
Location of statue: inside Tower Grove park, St. Louis
Artist: Ferdinand von Miller, II, 1842-1929, sculptor
Architect: George Ingham Barnett, 1815-1898
Founder: Royal Foundry
"Other sculptural decorations include the German wrought zinc figures of griffins and recumbent lions (the latter after Canova'-s lions) which guard the Grand Boulevard entrance; three over life-sized bronze statues (Columbus, von Humbolt, and Shakespeare) by Baron Ferdinand von Muller of Munich (a favorite Shaw artist), and an ornamental pool backed by "ruins" constructed out of rusticated and classically carved limestone fragments from the Lindell Hotel (St. Louis) which burned in l867. ~ NRHP Nomination Form
Monument text:
(Front Base): ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT
(base proper left): Mount Chimborazo relief plaque
(base proper right): Amazon River relief plaque
(base rear): [plaque relief of Shaw] - In honor of the most accomplished traveller [sic] of this or any other age erected by HENRY SHAW, 1876
(foundation front-plaque): Endowed by Tower Grove Park Commissioner Robert P. Stupp in recognition of the generations of the family of Johann Stupp, 2005
(foundation rear-plaque):
North and South plaques
found and restored 1995-97
In memory of
J. Milton Keller, JR.
Made possible by
Donald H. Bergmann
with help from
Friends of Tower Grove Park
German American Heritage Society
Victorian Society in America
Proper Description:
"Full-length standing portrait of Alexander von Humboldt, leaning against a stump with his coat draped over it. His proper left foot is forward and his hands are clasped in front of his waist. He is wearing knee-high boots and short waistcoat. Bronze reliefs on the base include depictions of the Amazon River Valley, Mount Chimborazo, and medallion of Henry Shaw, with text." ~ Smithsonian American Art Museum
Remarks:
"The statue commemorates Alexander Von Humboldt (1769-1859). Born in Berlin, Germany, Humboldt had close ties to America. He knew and corresponded with Thomas Jefferson, Albert Gallatin, John Fremont, James Madison, and others, and was himself a noted scientist. Among his accomplishments, the ascension of the Chimborazo volcano and his encyclopedic "Kosmos." He was reportedly the first European to explore the Amazon River to its source. The monument, an important symbol of pride for the large German community in St. Louis, was erected by Henry Shaw, who established the park in 1868. The cost of the statue, excluding the base, was $5,000. The statue and reliefs were designed and cast by Miller at the Royal Bronze Foundry in Munich. George I. Barnett designed the statue's base.
"The Amazon River plaque on the base was stolen in Dec. 1974; but was subsequently recovered in 1995. The Henry Shaw medallion, originally part of a larger plaque on the east side of the pedestal, was removed sometime in 1952 and was placed in the Memorial Tennis Court Building. The lower portion of the Shaw plaque, thought to be lost was rediscovered in storage in 1996. The entire Shaw plaque was restored, reinstalled and rededicated Oct. 26, 1997" ~ Smithsonian American Art Museum