Originally, a bronze statue of Oswald de Kerckhove, provincial councilor, governor, member of parliament, and senator between 1871 and 1906, stood atop the pedestal. Jef Lambeaux designed this statue of Oswald, seated on a high pedestal, musing with a book in his hand, and honored by the goddess Flora and a submissive gardener. Between the two sat two cherubs, beautifully holding the count's coat of arms upright. After consultation with the city council, the Graaf van Vlaanderenplein at the prestigious Zuidstation (South Station) was chosen as the site for this monument. Ten years later, at the end of the First World War, the German occupiers requisitioned all possible metals to keep their war industry running. They also removed Oswald from his pedestal to reuse the bronze. Barely five years after the war, a new statue stood there, this time designed by Ghent artist Gustaaf Van den Meersche (1891-1970). A statue of the goddess Flora was erected atop the old pedestal at the Zuidstation. Along with four children, she paid tribute to the count, whose portrait medallion was placed centrally on the pedestal. After the construction of the Sint-Pietersstation, the Zuidstation lost its role as a railway junction and was demolished in 1929. The monument then stood in Zuidpark, or Albertpark. Forty years later, the government decided to sacrifice part of the park for the construction of a motorway on- and off-ramp. Oswald was in the way and had to be moved. The statue remained in storage for three years and was assigned a new, magnificent location in 1974. The city chose Citadelpark, where it remains to this day.
The monument was designed by the famous Belgian sculptor George Minne and is located in the Citadel Park of Ghent.
Philippe de Denterghem was a prominent figure in Belgian politics and played a major role in promoting agriculture and culture in the region. The monument was erected by the Royal Agricultural Society of Ghent to commemorate his contribution. The artwork includes allegorical figures that symbolize his influence on agriculture and nature. George Minne is best known for his symbolist style, and this monument reflects that characteristic artistic touch