Statue de François Mahé de La Bourdonnais, Colonial memorial statue in Saint-Denis, La Réunion.
The Statue of François Mahé de La Bourdonnais is a bronze memorial showing a French naval officer in a standing pose, positioned at Place Candide-Azéma near Le Barachois. Created by sculptor Louis Rochet, it forms a prominent part of the cityscape at this central public location.
The monument was created between 1852 and 1855 to commemorate a French naval officer who administered an island possession during the mid-1700s. Its creation reflects France's colonial activities in the Indian Ocean during the 19th century.
The statue occupies a central gathering spot where locals pass through daily and engage with its contested representation. The public square reflects changing conversations about how this place remembers its colonial past.
The statue is located on a public square near the Prefecture building where you can walk up close to examine the work and any information plaques nearby. The site is easy to find and accessible to anyone walking through the central area of the city.
In October 2022 the monument was coated with pink paint during protest actions, and this coating has remained unchanged despite official requests to restore it. The color treatment has become an unexpected visual feature of the memorial over time.
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