Georges Clemenceau, Bronze monument in Champs-Élysées gardens, Paris, France
The bronze statue of Georges Clemenceau by François Cogné stands on a rough-hewn stone boulder in the Champs-Élysées gardens, in front of the Petit Palais. Clemenceau wears a long double-breasted coat, a scarf and a brimmed hat, with both hands in his pockets and his left leg advanced. The dark bronze has a greenish patina.
The bronze sculpture was created in 1932 by artist François-Victor Cogné to honor the French Prime Minister who guided the nation through World War I. He went on to sign the Treaty of Versailles, a pivotal document in European post-war history.
Clemenceau's family stayed away from the 1932 unveiling, judging François Cogné's work insignificant and mocking. The statue shows him leaning into the wind, a scarf at his neck, striding forward on a rough boulder. It stands before the Petit Palais on the Champs-Élysées, where passers-by see it daily.
The monument is easy to reach since it sits directly along the Champs-Élysées and near several bus stops and the Champs-Élysées-Clemenceau metro station. Visitors can view the statue free of charge and at any time of day.
Clemenceau's family stayed away from the 23 May 1932 unveiling, considering François Cogné's work insignificant and mocking. During the Vichy regime the statue was listed for possible melting down, but it survived the war.
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