Charles Darwin, Christ's College, Cambridge.

This bronze sculpture of Darwin as a young student at Christ's college, is by Anthony Smith, 2002-5. It forms the centrepiece of the garden representing the flora seen by Darwin on his round the world voyage of discovery, 1831-36, aboard The HMS Beagle, with Captain Robert Fitzroy. While still a student, he had been planning to follow the footsteps of one of his heroes, the naturalist and explorer, Alexander von Humboldt but fate decided otherwise when he was asked by the Admiralty to accompany Captain Fitzroy on his voyage. It's a change to see Darwin as a rather nice looking young man, as most pictures and sculptures of him are in later life. I like the finishing touch of the books on the seat next to him.