Fame of War, Bronze and gold sculpture on Pont Alexandre III, 8th arrondissement, Paris, France

Fame of War is a bronze sculpture with gold details positioned at one end of Pont Alexandre III. The work depicts a winged female figure and forms part of the artistic decoration adorning this bridge that crosses the Seine between Paris districts.

Léopold Steiner made this gilded bronze figure for the Pont Alexandre III, built for the 1900 Exposition Universelle and inaugurated in 1899. The bridge's sculptural programme was awarded through a competition and divided among several artists, and Steiner's Fame of War stands at one end as part of that ensemble. The bridge honours the Franco-Russian alliance of 1892.

The gilded bronze figure personifies Renommée, or Fame, sounding a trumpet to proclaim the glory of the arts and sciences. It stands at the downstream, right-bank end of Pont Alexandre III, paired with the sculptor's companion group on the opposite side. The bridge's decoration was tied to the 1900 Exposition Universelle and the Franco-Russian alliance.

You can easily view this sculpture while crossing Pont Alexandre III or from the Seine riverbanks on either side. The combination of bronze and gold makes it stand out clearly even when viewed from a distance.

The gilded bronze figure crowns the downstream end of Pont Alexandre III, facing the Seine. Its gilding is renewed periodically so the statue keeps a bright finish rather than the dark patina of older Paris bronzes. Look for the outstretched wings and raised trumpet silhouetted against the sky from the Left Bank quay.