Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Napoleon Bonaparte: Vendôme Column - Paris, France

Interesting Places I've Photographed
Vendôme Column
Paris, France
Topic: Napoleon Bonaparte 


GPS: N48° 52.052;  E002° 19.765



Quick Description: 

Vendôme Column has 425 spiraling bas-relief bronze plates. It was erected to celebrate the victory of Napoleon at Austerlitz.

Long Description:

The Vendôme Column was erected by Emperor Napoleon I between 1806 and 1810. It was inspired by the Trajan's Column in Rome. It was made from the bronze obtained from hundreds of cannons taken from the armies he defeated. During the Bourbon Restoration the original column was raised and, in 1874, it was replaced.  That column was taken down after the Bourbon Restoration. In 1874, the column was restored.

The column was designed by the sculptor Pierre-Nolasque Bergeret and executed by a many sculptors. Jean-Joseph Foucou, Louis-Simon Boizot, François Joseph Bosio, Lorenzo Bartolini, Claude Ramey, François Rude, Corbet, Clodion and Henri-Joseph Ruxthiel all participated in the project. On the top of the column is a statue of Napoleon. He is wearing a toga, has a crown of laurels on his head and holding a sword in his left hand.  In his right hand he is holding a globe topped with a small statue of Victory.

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