Bronze Statue Of Napoleon - Place Vendome Column Monument
Item History & Price
Antique circa 1860 Grand Tour bronze statue of Place Vendome Column with Napoleon on top in solid bronze on a marble base on a bronze platform. These statues are very collectable, they were basically souvenirs for the well heeled / well educated who left school or work and took a year out to travel the 'grand sights of Europe' in the period of 1860-1930. They would purchase Grand Tour pieces as conversation 'trophy’s' to sit in their library or study, to attest that ...they were well bred, well educated, cultured and travelled. ( reference: The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, by David McCullough)
The actual column sits in the center of Place Vendôme (inspired by the Column of Trajan in Rome). It was put up in honor of Napoleon Bonaparte, whose statue can be seen at the top. The base was constructed using the metal from 1200 (number of cannons is debated) cannons which were captured by the French army at the Battle of Austerlitz. The statue is not a replica of the current monument in Paris, but of the prior version. the original was torn down and melted in the Bourbon restoration era. the current version in Paris is most likely the 3rd version of a statue of Napoleon atop the column.
The actual column sits in the center of Place Vendôme (inspired by the Column of Trajan in Rome). It was put up in honor of Napoleon Bonaparte, whose statue can be seen at the top. The base was constructed using the metal from 1200 (number of cannons is debated) cannons which were captured by the French army at the Battle of Austerlitz. The statue is not a replica of the current monument in Paris, but of the prior version. the original was torn down and melted in the Bourbon restoration era. the current version in Paris is most likely the 3rd version of a statue of Napoleon atop the column.
