Ownership of Wall Street's Charging Bull Statue Remains Unclear After Decades

Who owns New York’s famous “Charging Bull” statue remains unclear nearly three decades after its installation, with no public records confirming current ownership of the 7,100-pound bronze sculpture that has become a symbol of Wall Street.

The statue, created by the late artist Arturo Di Modica, was placed outside the New York Stock Exchange in 1989 without a permit before being relocated to Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan. Di Modica later sold the artwork to British investor Joe Lewis in 2004 under terms that reportedly included a prohibition on moving it, though no public documentation of the transfer has been filed.

Lewis, a billionaire who pleaded guilty to federal insider-trading charges in 2024 before receiving a pardon from former President Donald Trump, does not appear to own the Bowling Green statue. According to his investment firm Tavistock Group, the Lewis family holds rights to the original bronze cast and reproductions but does not manage or own the statue itself.

The New York City Parks Department has also stated that it does not own the sculpture and is not responsible for its maintenance. A spokesperson confirmed that the agency provided small grants between 1999 and 2004 for upkeep but has no ongoing obligation.

Di Modica copyrighted the work in 1998 and previously sued Random House over a book cover featuring the bull. He also objected in 2017 to the placement of the “Fearless Girl” statue near his artwork, arguing it altered the bull’s intended meaning. His estate, now represented by attorney Gaetano G. D’Antona, has not disclosed ownership details.

Arthur Piccolo, a longtime advocate for the statue and head of the Bowling Green Association, said he has overseen its care despite no legal responsibility. He noted that both his group and the Downtown Alliance, which manages the local business district, have funded repairs and cleaning, primarily removing graffiti. Piccolo described the bull as largely self-sustaining.

“It’ll be nice to have it polished occasionally, but it truthfully is not necessary,” he said. “The bronze changes color a little bit, but I’m happy with the situation the way it is right now.”

The question of ownership highlights broader issues of public art governance. Hunter College art professor Michael Lobel said the bull’s meaning has evolved with its public presence but noted that determining responsibility after an artist’s death is legally complex. Stony Brook University art historian Michele Bogart called the statue “illegal” garden art that bypassed standard public art approvals.

The sculpture’s origins trace back to Di Modica’s response to the 1987 stock market crash. After secretly installing it near the Stock Exchange, authorities removed it to Queens, but Piccolo intervened, convincing then-Mayor Ed Koch to allow its permanent placement at Bowling Green in December 1989.

Though the statue lacks official landmark status, it remains one of New York’s most photographed attractions. In 2019, a plan to relocate it near the Stock Exchange—opposite the now-removed “Fearless Girl”—was abandoned after opposition from Piccolo, Di Modica, and local residents.

Without clear ownership or preservation mandates, the future care of “Charging Bull” remains uncertain, leaving its stewardship in a legal and administrative gray area.