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5 February 2011

Find Freud in Hampstead

Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, famously died in London, and there is even a museum at his former home. Nearby, on the corner of Fitzjohn's Avenue and Belsize Lane, a statue of the great man keeps watch over the area in front of the Tavistock Centre.


The seated sculpture was created by Freud's long-time sculptor Oscar Nemon, following meetings in London in 1938 after both men had had to leave Europe, fearing for their future as Jews in an increasingly uncertain time.

Nemon's website notes how these later sittings, and Freuds advanced age led to a harsher more abstracted portrait of the great man, which became the head for the seated bronze we see today.

Though Freud died shortly afterwards, Nemon went on to sculpt many great wartime and post-war figures including Churchill, Eisenhower, Montgomery and Beaverbrook before his death in 1985. For more information, see http://oscarnemon.org.uk/history/freud_hist.html
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5 comments:

  1. Anonymous5 February 2011 at 10:12

    one of the practioners of the clinic once said to me that the statue was erected by Camden Council - nothing to do with the clinic he said! We are all Jungians not Freudians!

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  2. The Londoneer5 February 2011 at 12:20

    You an also visit Freud's consulting rooms just off Finchley Road - rather an eerie experience I have to say! http://www.freud.org.uk/exhibitions/10536/magic-of-the-couch/

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  3. Elizabeth5 February 2011 at 13:10

    For all the times I've stayed in Hampstead, I've never gone a lookin'. I should do that next time.

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  4. Hels5 February 2011 at 14:29

    Gosh yes, I lived in NW London for 2 years and never noticed any statue of Freud. Thank you so much - I added a link straight away to my post on Freud and Hampstead
    Hels
    http://melbourneblogger.blogspot.com/2010/05/anton-sauerwald-and-sigmund-freud-1938.html

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  5. Pinecone Stew6 February 2011 at 01:34

    Fantastic photograph!

    ReplyDelete

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