One of the capital’s most visited attractions, the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain dominates Piccadilly Circus in central London. Viewed and photographed by millions of visitors annually, it was erected in 1892 and is known to locals and tourists alike, as the Statue of Eros.
Since its erection, the statue has been removed three times. The plinth and statue were removed in 1922 during the construction of the Piccadilly Circus underground station, and returned in 1931.
At the outbreak of WWII, the statue only was removed for safety and replaced in 1948. Finally, in the early 1980s, the statue was removed for restoration and returned in 1985.
However, in more recent times, a debate has broken out amongst artists and academics regarding who the winged figure really is.
The statue stands 11m high and 5m wide and is cast in bronze by Alfred Gilbert, with the winged figure cast in aluminium.
Now it appears Eros might not be Eros at all, but his brother Anteros. Or perhaps neither, being called by others the nameless ‘Angel of Christian Charity’.
Nonetheless, the dilemma is unlikely to be resolved any time soon. For residents of the UK, and the countless numbers who arrive to visit Piccadilly Circus every year, this iconic statue will forever be the Statue of Eros.
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