This stone statue of Asklepios (Asclapius) can be seen on the main façade of the college alongside the statues of Hippocrates and Hygeia.
These three statues were sculpted in a classicised style by Alexander Ritchie. Asklepios is traditionally represented holding a staff entwined with a snake. Ritchie includes these symbols in his work; however rather than depicting the snake fully entwined around the staff, he instead places the creature by Asklepios' feet.
As well as the statues on the portico Ritchie also executed the serpents and rods, symbols which are derived from the traditional representation of Asklepios, on the main façade. In the classical period shrines of Asklepios' often contained a sacred snake, always acquired from the main temple to him at Epidaurus
A further detail which symbolises Asklepios and recurs throughout the design of the college is the cockerel, an bird which was ritually sacrificed to this god. This can be seen, for example, on the japanned caps of the lights outside the college which are decorated with gilded cockerels.
There are also two busts of Asklepios in the College's collection.
Asklepios
The father of Hygieia, who also appears on the portico, Asklepioswas worshipped by the Greeks as the god of healing and founder of medicine.
Asklepios himself was the son of Apollo and Coronis, a mortal. Apollo killed Coronis for marrying another mortal, Ischys, but he saved their child whom he gave to the wise centaur Chiron to care for. It was from Chiron that Asklepios learned the art of medicine. According to Greek mythology Asklepios was killed by Zeus because he restored the health of Hippolytus when entreated to do so by Artemis.
In the Iliad Asclepius is also represented as the father of Machaon and Podaleirius, the doctors who attend the Greek army during the siege of Troy.