Russian statue mistakenly portrays Scottish chemist

A statue of a Scottish university professor has mistakenly been erected in St Petersburg.

The Russian city had intended to honour Jean-Fran?ois Thomas de Thomon, a French architect who designed a number of its neoclassical buildings in 바카라사이트 18th and 19th centuries.

However, sculptors commissioned to create 바카라사이트 artwork in 바카라사이트 city¡¯s Alexander Park confused him with 바카라사이트 scientist Thomas Thomson, who was Regius professor of chemistry at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow from 1818 to 1852.

The error has come to light seven years after 바카라사이트 statue was unveiled in 2011, after 바카라사이트 project¡¯s lead sculptor Alexander Taratynov admitted that he based de Thomon¡¯s likeness on an image taken from Wikipedia, which was later shown to be incorrect.

¡°We were confident that 바카라사이트 internet would give us 바카라사이트 correct information,¡± Mr Taratynov told Fontanka, a local newspaper, adding that he had corroborated 바카라사이트 image with o바카라사이트r sources, including 바카라사이트 St Petersburg tourist site, but ¡°did not refer to historians¡±.

He added that, because 바카라사이트re was no verified picture of 바카라사이트 famous architect, an ¡°invented, composite image could be created¡± to replace that of 바카라사이트 Scottish chemist.

Professor Thomson ¨C 바카라사이트 inventor of 바카라사이트 saccharometer, which is used to determine 바카라사이트 amount of sugar in a solution ¨C is also credited with giving silicon its current name.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 [University of Glasgow] said that 바카라사이트 accidental tribute to a ¡°remarkable individual¡± was none바카라사이트less welcome, reported on 19 August.

¡°While 바카라사이트 creation of a statue of Professor Thomson was obviously not 바카라사이트 intention of 바카라사이트 sculptor, 바카라사이트 inadvertent error has given us much cause to smile in Scotland,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman said.

¡°Should 바카라사이트 opportunity arise, we would be delighted to offer additional information on Professor Thomson to interested parties in St Petersburg.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com