The Gorilla sculpture by David Wynne is a Grade II-listed treasure. It depicts London Zoo’s Guy the Gorilla, who lived there from 1947–78 and was one of the its major attractions. He became the park’s own attraction in 1962.
More about the big Guy
The sculpture is made of polished black fossiliferous Belgian marble and is 1.2 m tall.
Wynne wanted its form to convey “feelings of awe and terror and love for this mighty beast”.
Photo © Crystal Palace Park Trust
David Wynne (1926–2014) was commissioned through London County Council’s Patronage of the Arts Scheme to create a large animal sculpture for the park. Wynne, who had studied zoology at the University of Cambridge, chose the popular Guy the Gorilla as his subject. The sculpture was originally installed near the park’s children’s zoo.
