Page 208 - Features of an Era
P. 208
blems of Statues of King Fouad: Between Removal and Historical Confusion
Then comes the second part of that great but unfinished project, the erection of
the statue of King Fouad sculpted by Mustafa Naguib in Abdeen Square. It remained
covered with burlap until it was removed in mid1953-, having less luck than the
other statue of King Fouad in Tahrir Square.
Prior to its removal, a press campaign was launched by some writers calling for the
removal of the statues related to that era. Surveys were conducted, most notably a
survey carried out by Dar Al-Hilal publishing house in early April 1953 and published
in Al-Mussawar magazine. In this survey, the statue of King Fouad is the third one
from right at the bottom of the right page.
The survey published in Al-Mussawar magazine on April 10th, 1953. Statue of King Fouad erected in
Abdeen Square is the third one from right at the bottom of the right page
Apart from the picture shown in the previous survey, there are other three
documented photographs of this statue; the first one was taken to its maquette and
published in Al-Mussawar magazine on March 17th, 1950 with the result of the
competition for the statues of Isma’il and Fouad (see paragraph: The Discovery of the
Cairene Statue of Khedive Isma’il).
This photograph was accompanied by a detailed picture of the head of the statue
compared to the other models submitted by the above-mentioned competitors.
208
Then comes the second part of that great but unfinished project, the erection of
the statue of King Fouad sculpted by Mustafa Naguib in Abdeen Square. It remained
covered with burlap until it was removed in mid1953-, having less luck than the
other statue of King Fouad in Tahrir Square.
Prior to its removal, a press campaign was launched by some writers calling for the
removal of the statues related to that era. Surveys were conducted, most notably a
survey carried out by Dar Al-Hilal publishing house in early April 1953 and published
in Al-Mussawar magazine. In this survey, the statue of King Fouad is the third one
from right at the bottom of the right page.
The survey published in Al-Mussawar magazine on April 10th, 1953. Statue of King Fouad erected in
Abdeen Square is the third one from right at the bottom of the right page
Apart from the picture shown in the previous survey, there are other three
documented photographs of this statue; the first one was taken to its maquette and
published in Al-Mussawar magazine on March 17th, 1950 with the result of the
competition for the statues of Isma’il and Fouad (see paragraph: The Discovery of the
Cairene Statue of Khedive Isma’il).
This photograph was accompanied by a detailed picture of the head of the statue
compared to the other models submitted by the above-mentioned competitors.
208
