Elisha Dyer Memorial (The Falconer)
Dublin Core
Title
Elisha Dyer Memorial (The Falconer)
Subject (Topic)
Subject (Topic)
Roger Williams Park--Rhode Island--Providence
South Elmwood--Neighborhoods--Rhode Island--Providence
Monuments--Rhode Island--Providence
Roger Williams Park--Rhode Island--Providence
South Elmwood--Neighborhoods--Rhode Island--Providence
Monuments--Rhode Island--Providence
Subject (Name)
Subject (Name)
Dyer, Elisha, 1811-1890
Dyer, Elisha, 1811-1890
Subject (Object)
Subject (Object)
Commemorative sculpture
Commemorative sculpture
Description
The Elisha Dyer Memorial, historically recognized as The Falconer, is dedicated to Elisha Dyer, a Brown University graduate (class of 1829) and the 25th Governor of Rhode Island (1857-1859). Created at the bequest of Daniel Wanton Lyman, the grandson of Dyer, the bronze memorial takes the form of a muscled, seminude male with a fist raised as a falcon, wings fully spread and beak open, seems to attack/land on the man’s upraised left arm. The Park Commission selected the artist Henry Hudson Kitson for the commission.
The memorial was initially installed on a platform in the center of Pleasure Lake in Roger Williams Park.
The memorial was initially installed on a platform in the center of Pleasure Lake in Roger Williams Park.
Creator
Kitson, Henry Hudson, 1865-1947
Gorham Manufacturing Company Founders
Gorham Manufacturing Company Founders
Source
Photographs by Eric Sung, Professor, Providence College
Date
December 9, 1893
Contributor
Daniel Wanton Lyman (donor); Park Commission
Rights
City of Providence, 25 Dorrance Street, Providence, Rhode Island, 02903, United States
Format
JPEG
Language
English
Type
Visual Arts-Sculpture
Coverage
Roger Williams Park, Cladrastis Avenue and FC Green Memorial Boulevard, Providence, Rhode Island, 02903, United States
Has Part
Inscription on round granite base:
Erected to the Memory of Elisha Dyer by His Grandson Daniel Wanton Lyman
Erected to the Memory of Elisha Dyer by His Grandson Daniel Wanton Lyman
Extent
90 in. (228.6 cm)
Medium
Bronze; Granite
Bibliographic Citation
"Fine Arts. Miss Coleman’s China Painting. Exhibition of Water Colours This Week. Mr. Kitson and the Commissioners." Providence Journal, November 15, 1891.
"Dyer Memorial Chosen. The Design of Mr. Kitson Selected by Park Commissioners." Providence Journal, January 6, 1892.
"Dyer Memorial Contract Signed." Providence Journal, January 27, 1892.
"Dyer Memorial Fountain. Kitson’s New Design Completed and on Exhibition at His Boston Studio. Description of the Figure and Its Characteristics." Providence Journal, January 1, 1893.
"The Farragut Honored. Statue of the Great Admiral Unveiled at Boston." Providence Journal, June 29, 1893.
"Dyer Memorial Fountain. Henry H. Kitson’s Created Placed in Roger Williams Park." Providence Journal, December 9, 1893.
Baker, Leander. Photographs of Roger Williams Park., n.d., Rhode Island Photograph Collection, VM013_WC1142, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library, https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/VM013_WC1142.
Photograph of Falconer Statue., n.d., Rhode Island Photograph Collection, VM013_WC1095, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library, https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/VM013_WC1095.
Rhode Island Development Council. Photograph of Falconer Statue., n.d., Rhode Island Photograph Collection, VM013_GC2347, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library, https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/VM013_GC2347.
Photograph of Falconer Statue., n.d., Rhode Island Photograph Collection, VM013_WC1144_1, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library, https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/VM013_WC1144_1.
"The Dyer Memorial, Roger Williams Park, Providence, R.I.", 1915, Rhode Island Postcard Collection, PC7950, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library, https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/PC7950.
"Monument Statue; Roger Williams Park, Providence, R.I.", 1901, Rhode Island Postcard Collection, PC7957, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library, https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/PC7957.
"Dyer Memorial, Roger Williams Park, Providence, R.I.", 1901, Rhode Island Postcard Collection, PC7955, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library, https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/PC7955.
"The Daniel Lyman Bequest." Providence Journal. May 7, 1889.
"Providence and Vicinity. The Common Council. . . . Resolution Directing Erection of Elisha Dyer Memorial in Roger Williams Park. Providence Journal. July 9, 1889.
"The Dyer Fountain. Park Commissioners Reject Kitson Design. A Similar Fountain Erected at Fitchburg Two Years Ago--Mr. Kitson Claims His Design is Four Years Old." Providence Journal. November 10, 1891.
"Dyer Memorial Chosen. The Design of Mr. Kitson Selected by Park Commissioners." Providence Journal, January 6, 1892.
"Dyer Memorial Contract Signed." Providence Journal, January 27, 1892.
"Dyer Memorial Fountain. Kitson’s New Design Completed and on Exhibition at His Boston Studio. Description of the Figure and Its Characteristics." Providence Journal, January 1, 1893.
"The Farragut Honored. Statue of the Great Admiral Unveiled at Boston." Providence Journal, June 29, 1893.
"Dyer Memorial Fountain. Henry H. Kitson’s Created Placed in Roger Williams Park." Providence Journal, December 9, 1893.
Baker, Leander. Photographs of Roger Williams Park., n.d., Rhode Island Photograph Collection, VM013_WC1142, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library, https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/VM013_WC1142.
Photograph of Falconer Statue., n.d., Rhode Island Photograph Collection, VM013_WC1095, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library, https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/VM013_WC1095.
Rhode Island Development Council. Photograph of Falconer Statue., n.d., Rhode Island Photograph Collection, VM013_GC2347, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library, https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/VM013_GC2347.
Photograph of Falconer Statue., n.d., Rhode Island Photograph Collection, VM013_WC1144_1, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library, https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/VM013_WC1144_1.
"The Dyer Memorial, Roger Williams Park, Providence, R.I.", 1915, Rhode Island Postcard Collection, PC7950, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library, https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/PC7950.
"Monument Statue; Roger Williams Park, Providence, R.I.", 1901, Rhode Island Postcard Collection, PC7957, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library, https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/PC7957.
"Dyer Memorial, Roger Williams Park, Providence, R.I.", 1901, Rhode Island Postcard Collection, PC7955, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library, https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/PC7955.
"The Daniel Lyman Bequest." Providence Journal. May 7, 1889.
"Providence and Vicinity. The Common Council. . . . Resolution Directing Erection of Elisha Dyer Memorial in Roger Williams Park. Providence Journal. July 9, 1889.
"The Dyer Fountain. Park Commissioners Reject Kitson Design. A Similar Fountain Erected at Fitchburg Two Years Ago--Mr. Kitson Claims His Design is Four Years Old." Providence Journal. November 10, 1891.
Rights Holder
Department of Art, Culture, Tourism, City of Providence
Citation
Kitson, Henry Hudson, 1865-1947
Gorham Manufacturing Company Founders
, “Elisha Dyer Memorial (The Falconer),” Commemorative Works of Providence, accessed April 1, 2026, https://monuments.artculturetourism.com/items/show/40.