Newton (Paolozzi)

This massive twelve-foot bronze sculpture depicts Sir Isaac Newton hunched over in intense concentration, using a pair of dividers to measure the universe. While the figure represents the famous scientist, the sculptor, Eduardo Paolozzi, actually modeled the face after his own features. If you look closely at the statue, you can see the eyes were inspired by Michelangelo's David. Paolozzi designed the body to look like a mechanical object, with distinct bolts visible at the shoulders, elbows, and knees. These joints serve to emphasize the relationship between human nature and the rigidity of scientific measurement. The piece was installed in the British Library plaza in 1995, and its physical seams reflect the sculptor's unique process of dividing his models and reassembling the pieces like a complex machine.