La Paix de 1815, memorial sculpture in Paris 17e Arrondissement, France
La Paix de 1815 is a relief sculpture by Antoine Étex, placed near the Arc de Triomphe in the 17th arrondissement of Paris. It shows a mother holding a child and a man with a helmet at his side, their faces and postures suggesting a return to quiet family life.
Antoine Étex created the piece in the 19th century as part of the decoration of the Arc de Triomphe, at a time when Paris was marking the end of the Napoleonic wars. The work was meant to recall the peace that came after 1815, when France stepped back from a long period of conflict.
Many passersby pause to look at the mother and child, reading the scene as a reminder of everyday life after long years of fighting. The relief belongs to a set of carvings that give the nearby arch its layered story of victory, endurance and recovery.
You can view this artwork from the sidewalk without any entrance fee or prior arrangement, since it sits in a public area beside a major monument. Early morning or late afternoon offers softer light and usually fewer people around the base of the structure.
Despite its modest size, the relief rewards a close look at the way the child leans against the mother and the man's helmet rests at his side rather than on his head. This small grouping is carved directly into the surface of the arch, so its details can be easy to miss from the busy street below.
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