La Résistance de 1814, Statue in Paris, France
La Résistance de 1814 is a stone sculpture on the side of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It shows a bearded man falling from his horse, while a woman and an older man try to hold back a young soldier with a sword, and a winged figure rises behind them.
The scene refers to the defense of the country in 1814, when foreign armies moved toward Paris. Antoine Étex completed it in the 19th century as part of the decoration of the arch, in a style meant to recall Roman reliefs.
This relief sits as part of a group telling the story of France's difficult years, alongside a matching scene dedicated to peace after the fighting. Visitors often pause to trace the fall of the unarmored rider, while the winged figure with a flame on its forehead draws the eye upward.
The sculpture is set high on the outside wall of the monument, so looking up from the ground works best. The square around it is usually full of people, so early morning or late evening offers a quieter view.
The falling rider has no armor, which makes his sacrifice feel more exposed than the usual military monuments around him. On certain days, sunlight catches the flame on the winged figure's forehead, making that small detail glow briefly against the stone.
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