They are iconic. They grace postcards and tea towels. They inspire poetry and plastic replicas. But in reality they’re just a little bit shithouse. When you get up close in person you can’t help thinking, “Is that it?”
Here are the Great Underwhelming Statues of the World I’ve been lucky enough to see…
Greyfriars Bobby, Edinburgh
You know the story – John Gray dies and his faithful hound Bobby keeps vigil over his grave for fourteen years. When the hound died he was immortalised by this statue. He was only a wee dog and the statue is to scale so… hmmm.
Bobby & Mothership, 2004
The Little Mermaid, Copenhagen
Anti-climax ahoy!
Ripped arf!
Manneken Pis, Brussels
I saw the Manneken Pis souvenirs before I saw the statue itself. Creepy chocolate ones, chess pieces; gigantic garden-gnomish replicas. I thought we were in for a mega statue with blush-worthy equipment. But we almost walked straight past it!
Where? Wha?
The Dog On The Tuckerbox, Gundagai, Australia.
Driving from Central West New South Wales to Melbourne takes about eight hours, which is equivalent to 125 hours if you’re under ten years old. The only thing that could hush the chorus of are we there yet are we there yet from the back seat was the promise of stopping at Gundagai to see the famed hound atop the lunchbox.
Such a thrill for a child after five hours cramped up with siblings and suitcases, to finally stop to eat a wilted Vegemite sandwich and gaze upon this masterpiece!
Pic from sydney-australia.biz
Do you have any must-see anti-climatic statues, folks? Would love to add more to the list.