| Summary : Site of a recumbent bronze statue of Princess Pocahontas. The statue was originally situated at the north side of Red Lion Square but was removed in the 1980s, and sold in 1996 to private buyer. Pocahontas was portrayed as a nude with two pigtails and two crossed feathers sticking out of her hair. The statue was presented by the publishers Cassell and is the work of David McFall, R.A. It was erected in 1956 and its name is "La Belle Sauvage". Pocahontas was the daughter of the Indian Chief Powhatan. Converted to Christianity in 1615 she married John Rolfe, a tobacco planter. Pocahontas travelled to England with her husband in 1616, where she was received as royalty. She captivated the London society. Whilst preparing to return to America, she became ill with smallpox and died in Gravesend in March 1617. |
More information : Site of a recumbent bronze statue of Princess Pocahontas.
Pocahontas is portrayed as a nude with two pigtails and two crossed feathers sticking out of her hair. The statue was presented by the publishers Cassell and is the work of David McFall, R.A. It was erected in 1956 and her name is "La Belle Sauvage". (1)
Pocahontas was the daughter of the Indian Chief Powhatan. In 1608, John Smith, one of the founders of the Jamestown Settlement in Virginia, was captured by the Indians and brought to Pocahontas's village, where she allegedly saved his life.
Subsequently the Indian princess became the intermediary between the Englishman and her father. In 1613, Pocahontas was taken captive by Captain Samuel Argall and taken to Jamestown, in an effort to force Powhatan to keep peace. Converted to Christianity in 1615 she married John Rolfe, a tobacco planter. Pocahontas travelled to England with her husband in 1616, where she was received as royalty. She captivated the London society. During her preparation to return to America, she became ill of smallpox and died in Gravesend in March 1617. (2)
The statue was originally situated at the north side of Red Lion Square, but was removed in the 1980s. (3)
It was sold to a private buyer at auction at Christies in 1996 for £7,475 (4) |