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Secondary sourceSculpture2011-06

Statue of Adam Smith on 6 Burlington Gardens Facade, London

2011-06

A photo of a stone statue of Adam Smith set into the facade of a London building that once housed the University of London.

This later statue on a university building honors Smith's lasting reputation as a scholar.

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Stone statue of Adam Smith in a recessed arched niche on a stone building facade. The figure wears a wig, a buttoned coat and a long draped cloak, holds a book in one hand and rests the other on his chest. The name ADAM SMITH is carved on the plinth below.
Statue of Adam Smith, 6 Burlington Gardens, London. Photo by Andreas Praefcke, 2011.

About this source

What it is

This photograph shows a stone statue of Adam Smith placed in a niche on the facade of 6 Burlington Gardens in London, a building constructed as the headquarters of the University of London.

Why it matters

Including Smith among the statues on a university building shows how highly he was regarded as a scholar whose work shaped academic and economic thought. It reflects the lasting respect for his ideas long after his lifetime.

Look closer

  • Why might a university building choose to display a statue of Adam Smith on its exterior?
  • What does Smith holding a book in the statue suggest about how he was remembered?
  • What other historical figures might be honored on buildings like this, and why?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Adam Smith on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Title page of An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith, LL.D. and F.R.S., formerly Professor of Moral Philosophy in the University of Glasgow. In two volumes, Vol. I. London, printed for W. Strahan and T. Cadell, in the Strand, MDCCLXXVI.Book

Primary source

The Wealth of Nations

Adam Smith · 1776

Scan of the title page of the 1759 first edition of The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith, Professor of Moral Philosophy in the University of Glasgow. Centered ornament below. Imprint reads London: Printed for A. Millar, in the Strand, and A. Kincaid and J. Bell, in Edinburgh, MDCCLIX.Book

Primary source

The Theory of Moral Sentiments

Adam Smith · 1759

Black and white engraving of a standing man in profile wearing a tricorn hat, powdered wig, and long buttoned coat, holding a cane, beside a round table with books and an inkstand. Bookshelves and a checkered floor are behind him. Caption below reads 'The Author of the Wealth of Nations'. Signed 'RAY' and dated 1790 at lower left.Painting

Primary source

Adam Smith, 1790

John Kay · 1790

Oil painting of a man in a powdered white wig and dark high-collared coat with blue-tinged shading, turned to the left, against a dark brown background. He has a slight closed-mouth expression.Painting

Secondary source

The Muir Portrait of Adam Smith

Unknown · c. 1790

Evening photo of Panmure House, a stone building with lit windows and a glass-fronted entrance at street level, with a sign reading Adam Smith's Panmure House. Dusk sky, paved street in foreground.Artifact

Primary source

Panmure House

1691-1693 (built); Smith resided 1778-1790

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