Vultures, Sculpture in the Square des Batignolles, Paris, France
The Vultures is a dark grey stone group in the Square des Batignolles, showing four birds perched on a tall rectangular pillar above a small pond. The rough volcanic stone from Volvic is mottled with lighter streaks, and the birds are carved in simple, heavy shapes with folded wings and curved talons.
Louis de Monard created the piece in 1930 for the garden, which itself dates from the Second Empire. The black Volvic stone links it to the fashion for durable garden sculpture between the two world wars.
The dark birds stand out against the greenery of a garden laid out in the English style, where visitors pause to watch ducks and finches. The sculpture sits not far from an empty pedestal, a reminder that other statues were melted down during the wartime occupation.
Look for the work near the pond where ducks and fish gather, just off the main walking loop. The uneven stone surface and lower birds are best seen by walking slowly around all four sides, and the garden stays open daily from morning until early evening.
The sculpture shows four vultures, but from most angles you can only count two or three because the birds overlap on the pillar. It was carved from the same volcanic stone long used for rooftops and pavements, giving it a tougher look than most garden bronzes.
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