Statue of Thomas Aquinas, Aquino concathedral

What it is

This is a photograph of a bronze statue of Thomas Aquinas in Aquino, in front of the concathedral San Tommaso. The statue shows a robed medieval figure with a halo, holding a book and raising one hand. It stands on a stone pedestal beside a building with a dark wooden doorway, and a cypress tree stands at the left. The photograph was taken on 21 August 2012.

Why it matters

Aquinas was born in the area around Aquino in the 13th century, and the town honours him with this church and statue. The book and raised hand show him as a teacher and preacher, the roles for which he is best known. Like other later memorials, the statue reflects how Aquinas was remembered centuries after his death in 1274. The sculptor is not named in the facts, so the statue cannot be linked to a known maker.

Look closer

• What do the book and raised hand suggest about how the sculptor wanted Aquinas to be seen?
• Why might a town choose to place a statue of its famous son at its church?
• What can this modern statue not tell us about the real Aquinas?