Boy with a Swan

"The Boy with a Swan" (German: "Knabe mit Schwan") is a sculpture by Theodor Erdmann Kalide, cast in iron at the Royal Iron Foundry in Gliwice. The sculpture, which debuted at the Berlin Academy exhibition in 1834, gained recognition and was awarded a bronze medal at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. In Chorzów, where the sculpture is located in Jan Matejko Square, it originally adorned the town fountain in the market square from 1870 to 1912, and the water jet, which was initially located in the swan's beak, was later redirected into the basin. Kalide's sculpture was known for its numerous casts, which were placed in various locations in Poland and abroad, including a park in Gliwice, Warsaw, Legnica, as well as Sychrov in the Czech Republic and Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, where it was purchased by Queen Victoria. Although many fountains and copies of the sculpture have been lost, its presence in cities attests to its cultural and artistic significance, serving as a symbol of elegance and aesthetics of the era. The Boy with a Swan is also recognized as the first fountain in Minsk since 1874. The sculpture underwent conservation work in 1992, highlighting its historical and artistic importance in public spaces.