Iiif-service pnp highsm 47300 47382-full-pct 25-0-default

The Robert Burns Memorial is a

granite Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies under ...

monument located in downtown

Barre, Vermont Barre, Vermont may refer to: *Barre (city), Vermont *Barre (town), Vermont Barre ( ) is a town in Washington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 7,923 at the 2020 census, making it the 3rd largest municipality in Washington County ...

. It was erected by Barre's Scottish immigrants in 1899 to commemorate the centenary of the death of Scottish poet

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

. The statue was conceived and modeled by

J. Massey Rhind John Massey Rhind (9 July 1860 – 1 January 1936) was a Scottish-American sculptor. Among Rhind's better known works is the marble statue of Dr. Crawford W. Long located in the National Statuary Hall Collection in Washington D.C. (1926). E ...

. James B. King of Milford, New Hampshire modeled the four panels. Sam Novelli carved the statue at the Barclay Brothers' granite firm. Elia Corti, an

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

, carved the panels.

Pedestal

The monument itself stands above the foundation, and the statue is tall. Carved panels in high relief are principal features of the pedestal. Three each depict a scene from a Burns poem, ''

The Cotter's Saturday Night ''The Cotter's Saturday Night'' is a poem by Robert Burns that was first published in ''Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect'' in 1786. Composition Burns wrote "The Cotter's Saturday Night" at his Mossgiel farm, near Mauchline, during the win ...

'', ''

To a Mountain Daisy "To a Mountain Daisy", On Turning one Down, With The Plough, in April 1786 is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1786. It was included in the Kilmarnock volume of Burns's poems, published in that year. The poem tells of how the poet, wh ...

'', and '' Tam o' Shanter's Ride''. The fourth panel depicts Burns' cottage in

Ayr, Scotland Ayr (; sco, Ayr; gd, Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire Subdivisions of Scotland, council area and the historic Shires of Scotlan ...

Statue

The statue shows the poet returning from his day's work, in ploughman's dress, sleeves rolled up, bareheaded, his coat on his arm, eyes on the ground, and with an attitude and expression of thoughtful meditation. *Front: The Cotter's Saturday Night – "From scenes like these old Scotia's grandeur springs." *Right: Tam o' Shanter's Ride – "Ae spring brought off her master hale/ but left behind her ain grey tail." *Left: To a Mountain Daisy – "Wee, modest, crimson-tipped flow'r;/ Thou's met me in a evil hour." *Back: "Burns's Cottage"

History

In January 1890, the Robert Burns Club of Barre was founded as a social and literary group in honor of Burns. On July 21, 1896, the fifty-member club met to commemorate the centenary of Burns' death. At this meeting, the erection of an inspiring monument to Burns was advocated. It was felt that since Barre was thought of as the "Granite Center of the World" the monument should be the finest work of granite the world had yet produced. By the anniversary of Burns' birth (January 25, 1897), plans were well under way. Funds were raised throughout

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

, but largely from the people of Barre. The dedication ceremony was held on July 21, 1899 and attracted one of the largest groups of people yet assembled in Barre. Among the attendees were military and civic organizations, honored guests and Miss Florence Inglis who, dressed and crowned as the Scottish Muse, unveiled the statue.

References

* (Informational handout) * * * * * {{coord, 44, 11, 47, N, 72, 29, 56.7, W, type:landmark_region:US_dim:10, display=title Buildings and structures in Barre (city), Vermont Monuments and memorials in Vermont 1899 sculptures 1899 establishments in Vermont Buildings and structures completed in 1899 Granite sculptures in Vermont 1999 establishments in Vermont Burns Sculptures of men in Vermont