Williiam IV by Sir Martin Archer SheeMayor of London
The Case of the Empty Plinth
The fourth plinth in the north-western corner was intended to hold an equestrian statue of King William IV. His reign succeeded that of his brother King George IV who stands on the north-eastern plinth. However, funds to complete King William’s statue ran out so this fourth plinth remained statue-less for the next 150 years.
Empty Fourth Plinth (2014) by Greater London AuthorityMayor of London
Much Ado About What to Do
There was much debate over the years about just what to do with the empty plinth. Should it hold former Prime Minister Winston Churchill or colonialist Cecil Rhodes? What about figures representing socialist democracy, e.g., miners? Or, as was suggested in 1979, a statue of the assassinated Lord Mountbatten (first governor general of India)?
College Newspaper Headlines (2016) by The Mayor of LondonMayor of London
Case (Nearly) Closed?
Despite all these ideas, none gained enough traction to become a reality until a restaurateur, her letter and the Royal Society for the Arts (RSA) took centre stage.
Learn more about the Fourth Plinth at g.co/fourthplinth or see the 2021 shortlist artists here.
Text by L Rhoda Molife
