Found at the south end of the Mall, in the section known as "Literary Walk", is a bronze sculpture of writer William Shakespeare (1564-1616) by sculptor John Quincy Adams Ward.
A group of actors and theatre managers laid the cornerstone for this statue in 1864. The statue was cast in Philadelphia in 1870 and made its debut in Central Park in 1872.
Ward, the sculptor, went on to make additional works in New York and Central Park, including Indian Hunter and The Pilgrim, as well as others.
A favorite summer activity of New Yorkers and visitors to NYC is the annual free Shakespeare in the Park production at the Delacorte Theater. The beautiful Shakespeare Garden features plants mentioned in his work as well as a "whispering bench" which is a unique and magical delight for all visitors.