Equestrian statue of Napoleon explained

Equestrian statue of Napoleon
Location:Place du Général-de-Gaulle, Rouen, Normandy
Designer:Louis Desmarest
Complete:1865

The Statue of Napoleon in the Place du Général-de-Gaulle, Rouen, Normandy was erected in 1865. The equestrian statue was sculpted in bronze by Gabriel-Vital Dubray, and its pedestal was designed by Louis Desmarest.[1] It stands in front of the city hall.[2]

In 1881, during the Third French Republic, the city's administration saw the statue of the emperor as contrary to their values. There were plans to melt it into a new statue of an effigy of the republic, or to remove the man and leave only the horse; these plans did not come to fruition due to lack of funds.[3]

In June 2020, the statue was taken down for repairs. Fractures in the hoof of the horse meant that it could have fallen down.[4] A treasure chest of bronze, silver and gold coins of Napoleon III – Napoleon's nephew and reigning emperor at the time of inauguration – was found inside the pedestal.[1] In September, mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol (Socialist) wished to replace it with a statue or work of art dedicated to the recently deceased feminist Gisèle Halimi. The plans were strongly opposed by the leader of the city's opposition, Jean-François Bures.[2] Historian Thierry Lentz, director of the Fondation Napoléon, called the plans "cancel culture" and argued that Napoleon was a benefactor of Rouen, making him more locally relevant than Halimi.[5] In December 2021, a survey of 4,080 residents found that 68% wanted the statue to remain, and the city council said it would respect the result.[6]

Later in December 2021, the statue was registered as a monument historique.[4]

Notes and References

  1. News: Massin . Fabien . Rouen. Statue de Napoléon en restauration : un petit trésor découvert à l'intérieur !. Rouen. Statue of Napoleon in restoration: a small treasure discovered inside! . 28 February 2022 . Actu.fr . 23 June 2021 . French.
  2. News: Derouet . Laurent . Rouen : le maire voudrait remplacer la statue de Napoléon par une œuvre dédiée à Gisèle Halimi. Rouen: mayor would like to replace statue of Napoleon with a work dedicated to Gisèle Halimi. 28 February 2022 . . 11 September 2020 . French.
  3. Book: Vadelorge . Loïc . Rouen sous la IIIe République : Politiques et pratiques culturelles . 20 March 2015 . Presses universitaires de Rennes . 978-2-7535-2581-8 . 293–352 . 28 February 2022 . French . Chapitre V. La culture comme rempart.
  4. News: Rouen : la statue Napoléon inscrite au titre des monuments historiques. Rouen: Napoleon statue registered as a monument historique. 28 February 2022 . . 22 December 2021 . French.
  5. News: Lentz . Thierry . Statue of Napoleon in Rouen: "It is a question of respecting our history" . 28 February 2022 . . 27 September 2021.
  6. News: Lang-Roth . Cédric . Rouen : la statue de Napoléon va faire son retour sur le parvis de l'hôtel de ville. Rouen: statue of Napoleon will make its return to the forecourt of the city hall. 28 February 2022 . . 13 December 2021 . French.