King Neptune (statue)
King Neptune is a large bronze statue located in Virginia Beach, Virginia and sculpted by Paul DiPasquale. The statue depicts the mythological god Neptune and is located at the entrance of Neptune Park on the Virginia Beach boardwalk on 31st Street. This sculpture weighs 12 tons. and is listed as 24 feet (7.3 m) or 34 feet (10 m) tall. The design consists of a 12-foot tall rock base surrounded by various fish, dolphins, lobsters, and octopuses. Above this base, the figure of Neptune begins, starting with his waist. Neptune holds a trident in his right hand and rests his left hand on a loggerhead turtle.
In 2003, the Neptune Festival requested submission designs for a statue. Cameron Kitchin, the Director of the Contemporary Arts Center of Virginia Beach asked DiPasquale to submit his design of a statue of King Neptune. DiPasquale sent the clay model to the Festival’s sculpture committee.
Upon arriving in the United States, the three pieces needed interior support before being reassembled. Due to exceeding its budget, the Chinese manufacturers inserted a weak metal to support the statue. This material was cleared out and substituted by a stainless steel skeletal support. According to DiPasquale, replacing the interior and reorganizing the individual pieces together required a month and a half of welding.
In 2015, the 7 foot maquette that served as a model for the sculpture was donated for display at the Cape Charles boardwalk.
Coordinates: 36°51′35″N 75°58′38″W / 36.85963°N 75.97730°W
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