| Type: | Sculpture |
| Height: | 25m (82feet) |
| Width: | 13m (43feet) |
| Material: | Bronze, stone |
| Location: | Place de la République, Paris (France) |
| Monument Name: | Monument à la République |
| Designer: | Léopold and Charles Morice |
| Coordinates: | 48.8675°N 2.3638°W |
| Extra: | Monument historique (since 2021) |
| Inaugurated: | 14 July 1883 |
| Extra Label: | Protection |
The Monument à la République, also called Statue de la République, is a Monumental sculpture, made by the sculptor Léopold Morice. Inaugurated in 1883 on the place de la République in Paris, it represents Marianne, an allegory of the republic.
The monument is located in the center of the place de la République, at the tripoint between the 3rd, 10th and 11th arrondissements.
The bronze statue is 9.5 m high on a 15.5 m stone pedestal with a diameter of 13 m at ground level.[1] The pedestal is decorated with 3 statues each representing one of the 3 words of the french motto, liberty, equality, fraternity. Around the pedestal, under those statues, are a group of 12 high reliefs in bronze representing significant dates for the French Republic. A bronze statue of a lion symbolizing universal suffrage is at the foot of the monument. A fountain was added in 2013 at ground level.
The top of the pedestal is occupied by a 9.5 m high statue of Marianne, symbolizing the Republic. She is represented standing, wearing a toga and a baldric on which is mounted a sword. She is dressed at the same time with a Phrygian cap, symbol of liberty and a plant crown.
In her right hand, the statue bears an olive branch, a peace symbol. Her left hand rests on a tablet with the inscription "human rights" .
The bronzes were cast by [2] [3] [4] in 1883.
The pedestal was made by the architect, the brother of the sculptor. It consists of two distinct cylindrical parts: one about 4 m high; the other above it, longer and narrower. The higher part holds the Marianne and is decorated under her feet by a bronze garland, the coat of arms of Paris, and the inscription "to the glory of the French Republic - the city of Paris - 1883" (French: à la gloire de la République Française - la ville de Paris - 1883).
Around the column are three stone statues, each one an allegory of a word of the French motto.
Two medallions marked with Labor and Pax, decorated with fasces are found on the sides.
The stone pedestal is surrounded with twelve high reliefs in bronze, made by Léopold Morice. Connected with rosettes and arranged at eye level, they constitute a chronology of events marking the history of the French Republic, between 1789 and 1880 :
| Image | Date | Événement | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 June 1789 | Tennis Court Oath | ||
| 14 July 1789 | Storming of the Bastille | ||
| 4 August 1789 | Abolition of feudalism | ||
| 14 July 1790 | Fête de la Fédération | ||
| 11 July 1792 | Proclamation of « La Patrie en danger » | ||
| 20 September 1792 | Battle of Valmy | ||
| 21 September 1792 | Proclamation of the abolition of the monarchy | ||
| 1 June 1794 | Glorious First of June | ||
| 29 July 1830 | July Revolution | ||
| 4 March 1848 | Adoption of the universal male suffrage[5] | ||
| 4 September 1870 | |||
| 14 July 1880 | First Bastille Day |
A 3 m tall bronze lion is located at ground level beside an urn labeled "universal suffrage" (French: suffrage universel).
1. It is the opposite of the representation of the Statue of Liberty by Auguste Bartholdi from the same period, which holds the torch in her right hand and has a broken chain at her feet.
2.Sometimes attributed by mistake to Jules Dalou.
3.The process in fact extends over the sessions of March 2 and March 4, where the principle of universal suffrage is accepted, then the decree is adopted on March 5.
4.It is sometimes said that it represents the abolition of slavery but this is a confusion with the decree of the Provisional Government of the that institutes the "commission pour préparer, dans le plus bref délai, l'acte d'émancipation immédiate dans toutes les colonies de la République" and named Victor Schœlcher as its president but the decree that really abolishes slavery dates from the .