Auguste Bartholdi

Credited in particular for the creation of the Statue de la Liberté à New York, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi is an Alsatian sculptor and painter. Born in Colmar on 2 August 1834, il is the origin of around thirty monuments around the world: From the Lion of Belfort in Vosges stone to a group depicting Washington and La Fayette, and the statue of Vercing-Torix in Clermont-Ferrand. His exile in the United States due to the 1870 war marked a turning point in his career, with the commission of La Liberté éclairant le monde, a monumental statue for the centenary of American independence.

Alsace is fortunate to have many œuvres by the native son in its midst. During your visit to Colmar, you will be able to admire:

• Le monument du général Rapp: bronze statue initially exhibited on the Champs-Élysées to be presented at the 1855 Universal Exhibition. It would join Colmar's place Rapp the following year.
• The monument Martin Schongauer at the musuemuseum Unterlinden built in 1863
• Le Petit Vigneron Alsacien, a tribute to his wine-growing region, in one of the niches of the covered market
• The Roesselmann fountain, built in 1888, dismantled in 1943 and found damaged at the Port du Rhin
• The Lazare de Schwendi monument, a baron who left his mark on the Kientzheim, Ammerschwihr, Turckheim area, which overlooks the fountain in the place de l'Ancienne-Douane
• Le Tonnelier alsacien, crowning glory of the maison des Têtes classified as a historic monument
• L'Orfèvrerie, L'Étude, La Gravure et La Peinture, statues allégoriques conservées au musmusée Bartholdi, maison natale à vocation de musée depuis 1922
• Les Grands Soutiens du monde, monumental bronze group exhibited in 1902 in the courtyard of the museum

And many more works to discover. Coming from Strasbourg, don't miss the replica of the Statue of Liberty at the entrance to Colmar! It was made in 2004 to mark the centenary of the artist's death.