Public Art Around the World - Manneken Pis Statue

Manneken Pis Statue

Public Art : Manneken Pis (meaning little man wee)

Nicknames of Manneken Pis : 'Pee Pee Boy', ‘Little Julian’

Sculptor : Jerome Duquesnoy

Date : 1619

Description : Deceptively small 2ft (61cm) tall bronze statue of a little boy perched on top of a curved ledge, urinating into a fountain. Originally Manneken Pis was perched on a 6ft column which was built on request by Daniel Raessens, in 1619.

Location : Corner of Rue de l'Etuve and Rue Chenet, Brussels, Belgium.

History of the Mannekin Pis statue: The little boy statue relieving himself into a fountain can be a bit of a struggle finding in the back streets of Brussels. The small guy can be easily overlooked as it is deceptively small, considering how popular and revelled he is. It has the same affect as when you first glimpse the Mona Lisa and realise it aint that big!
The Manneken Pis originally replaced another version of the little guy which also took pride of place on the little corner. The original was created in 1388 but was destroyed some time later. However the City of Brussels commissioned Franco-Flemish Baroque sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy to build another one. And so he did. But don't be fooled this little guy is really a fake too. The Duquesnoy statue resides at Maison du Roi (King's House) and has since 1965.

How Many Times Has this Little Guy Been Stolen? : Okay from all accounts Manneken Pis has been stolen a total of 7 times. The first known time was in 1695 when Marechal de Villeroy attacked Brussels. It was later found on the steps of a brothel. French soldiers stole it in 1747. An ex prisoner, Antoine Lycas stole it in 1817, damaging the statue. He was caught and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Sculptor Godecharle was given the job to repaired it.

Controversy : Some believe that the Manneken Pis statue in Brussels is not the oldest. A statue in Geraardsbergen a few miles from the capital city is thought to have been created in 1459. The Geraardsbergen Manneken Pis can be found in the town square, but you have to look a little harder to find it because there is no crowd around this one.

Manneken Pis Trivia : The statue has over 600 costumes. Some of the outfits include Elvis, a samurai and even Mozart.

The first person to donate a costume was none other than King Louis XV of France in 1747.

Elizabeth Taylor is believed to have donated a costume.

Bad Taste Souvenirs : This little statue has been exploited to the masses for years. The worst of the pick would have to be the whiskey dispenser (guess where it pours out from ?), corkscrew, garden statue and wait for it, lollipop (I kid you not).

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