Bull gods such as Apis used to be worshipped back in the time of Moses until those picky Ten Commandments came down from on high and people into praising bulls were told to give it a rest. Nowadays, the tradition of immortalising bulls still persists in artworks around the world, harkening back to our pagan roots. Here are a few famous bull statues for you to butt heads with.
Charging Bull – Wall Street, New York, USA
Probably the most famous bull statue is this one in Wall Street, installed in 1989. It represents a “bull market” which is when the stock exchange is looking healthy and optimistic. Either that or it reminds the miserable financiers in the surrounding buildings that they could have been farmers if only they’d dreamed big enough. The artist Arturo Di Modico has since installed two slightly different versions of the bull in Shanghai and Amsterdam.
The Osborne Bull – everywhere, Spain
The Toro de Osborne can be found all over Spain and its islands, with a total of 91 of these 14-metre silhouettes dotting the country. The bull is an old symbol of Spain and particularly synonymous with the country’s most famous sport, bullfighting, but the Osborne bulls were originally erected to advertise sherry in the 1950s. They were so popular that the country soon adopted them as a semi-national emblem.
The World’s Largest Buffalo – Jamestown, North Dakota, USA
The World’s Largest Buffalo has been around since 1959, but was only recently given a name when a ballot competition was held in 2010. It now has the rather bombastic name of Dakota Thunder. The 60-tonne sculpture is, ahem, anatomically correct, and for years local pupils have been painting its private parts white and blue in honour of their school colours. A fitting homage, no doubt.
Featured image by Miguel Angel Garin
