Archibald Memorial Fountain

Sydney Monuments & MemorialsAnzac Memorial Archibald Memorial Fountain Biggles El Alamein Memorial Fountain John Dunmore Lang The Legend of Islay Yininmadyemi Thou didst let fall

One of the iconic memorials in Hyde Park is the Archibald Fountain, located at the centre of ‘Birubi Circle’, in Hyde Park North. The fountain by French sculptor Francois Sicard, commemorates the association between Australia and France in World War 1.

The themes were taken from Greek antiquity, and is an example of the classical revivalist sculpture of the 1920’s and 1930’s (known as Art Deco) in Sydney.

Sicard chose a mythical theme to express his message in the design and creation of the fountain. Whilst Sicard was commissioned to honour the association forged in war, it was also to look forward to peace. This allowed Sicard to centre is work on the theme of peace. Central to his design is Apollo, giving life to all nature. Surrounding Apollo are three groups of figures, one being Diana who brings harmony to the world; next is Pan who watches over the fields and pastures; with Theseus who conquered the Minotaur, symbolic of sacrifice for the common good.

Some history about the Archibald Memorial Fountain…

In 1919, a bequest in the will of J. F. Archibald, founding editor of the Bulletin, provided for the erection in Sydney of a symbolic, open-air memorial. As directed in Archibald’s will, this was to commemorate the association between Australia and France during World War 1, ‘for the liberties of the world’ and was to be sculpted in bronze by a French artist. Archibald’s expressed preferences came not from his French lineage, as some erroneously thought, but from an acquired interest in modern French culture, which he admired for its ‘clarity of thought and resourceful originality’.

Archibald stipulated that the money be invested for seven years before work began on the memorial. Francois Sicard was selected as sculptor for the memorial in July 1926 after a series of interviews in Paris by the President of London’s Royal Academy.

The figures sculpted in bronze by the lost wax process, took several years to complete but they were ready for display in Paris at the Grand Palais in May 1930, before being sent to Australia. The display was greeted with enthusiasm and praise both in Paris and London. The fountain was handed over to the City of Sydney on 14 March 1932, following delays caused by customs duty, and is integral to the design of Hyde Park.

Source: City of Sydney¹

Hyde Park is often a busy place, with visitors and tourists, the Archibald Memorial Fountain a popular spot in the park to relax. In the following you can see an arborist working on a nearby tree near the Archibald fountain.

---

---

Sydney Monuments & MemorialsAnzac Memorial Archibald Memorial Fountain Biggles El Alamein Memorial Fountain John Dunmore Lang The Legend of Islay Yininmadyemi Thou didst let fall

Sydney AttractionsArt Gallery of NSW Barangaroo Fort Denison – Muddawahnyuh Martin Place Queen Victoria Building – QVB St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney City of Escalators Sydney Harbour Bridge Sydney Hyde Park Sydney Monuments & Memorials Sydney Northern Beaches Sydney Opera House Sydney Tower Sydney Town Hall The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney Wynyard Park

SydneySydney Art Sydney Accommodation Sydney Attractions Sydney Cityscape Darling Harbour Sydney Fauna Sydney Flora

New South WalesBarunguba Montague Island Bourke Blue Mountains Bundeena Central Coast Kosciuszko National Park Mount Kaputar National Park Lower North Shore Northern Beaches Sapphire Coast Snowy Mountains Region South Coast Stony Range Regional Botanic Garden Sydney