Presented to Regent’s Park by the Royal Academy in 1933, Hylas and the Nymph Statue is a bronze effigy of Hylas, a Greek mythological friend of Jason, as he was being captured by a water nymph.
It is said that Jason sent Hylas to collect water during the quest to find the Golden Fleece. He was never seen again. Taken, the myth says, by a band of water nymphs as he bent to fill the urns.
The statue is a Grade II listed work, and sits on a plinth in the centre of a stone pond in St. John’s Lodge Garden, Regent’s Park.
The sculptor was Henry Alfred Pegram (1862-1937) and born in London. A highly revered sculptor, his work can be found as far away as South Africa and in numerous UK cities. More of his work can also be found in London.
Several of his other works revolved around a water theme. Such as The Bather 1894, A Sea Idyll 1902 and By the Waters of Babylon 1906. Bought on, it is said, by the fact that he himself was saved from drowning as a child while on holiday in Sussex.
Whether you’re visiting the local sights or enjoying afternoon tea near Regent’s Park, be sure to visit the beautiful gardens that make up this lovely park.
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