Mirabeau répondant à Dreux-Brézé, Relief by Jules Dalou
Mirabeau répondant à Dreux-Brézé is a bronze relief depicting a moment from the Estates General meeting of June 23, 1789, when Mirabeau addresses the Marquis de Dreux-Brézé with a raised arm and determined expression. The work measures approximately 2.5 meters (8 feet) high and 6.5 meters (21 feet) long, with surrounding figures including clergy and nobles who direct their attention toward the central speaker.
Created by sculptor Jules Dalou and cast in bronze in 1890, this relief commemorates a pivotal moment from the early French Revolution when the assembly debated the nation's future direction. The artwork was conceived to preserve the power of speech and the transition from monarchy to republic for future generations.
The relief shows Mirabeau as a commanding speaker whose voice shaped the direction of the nation. The surrounding figures focus on him, illustrating how debate and persuasive speech held power in moments of great change.
The relief is located in the Palais Bourbon, housed in the Salle Casimir-Perier within this working parliament building. Visitors should plan to tour the building to see the sculpture and understand its place within French political history.
Dalou first completed this work as a plaster model for the 1883 Salon exhibition before later casting it in bronze, where it received immediate acclaim from viewers and political figures. The original full-scale plaster model was tragically destroyed during World War II, making the bronze relief the primary surviving testament to Dalou's artistic vision.
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