Elephant of the Bastille
Encyclopedia
The Elephant of the Bastille was a monument in Paris
between 1813 and 1846. Originally conceived in 1808 by Napoleon, the statue was intended to be created out of bronze
and placed in Place de la Bastille
, but only a plaster
full-scale model was built. At 24 m (78 ft) in height the model itself became a very recognisable construction and was to be immortalised by Victor Hugo
in his novel Les Misérables
in which it is used as a shelter by Gavroche
. It was built at the site of the Bastille
and although part of the original construction remains the elephant itself was replaced by the July Column
.
in July, 1789, there was some debate as to what should replace it, or indeed if it should remain as a monument to the past. Pierre-François Palloy
secured the contract to demolish the building, with the dimension stone
s being reused for the construction of the Pont de la Concorde
and other parts sold by Palloy as souvenirs. Most of the building was removed over the subsequent months by up to 1,000 workers. In 1792 the area was turned into the Place de la Bastille with only traces of the fortress that had once dominated the area remaining.
In 1793, a fountain was built in the square. Known as the "Fountain of Regeneration", it had a very Egyptian-inspired design and depicted a woman with water flowing from her breasts.
Napoleon planned many urban regeneration projects for Paris and was particularly fond of monuments to his victories. He wanted to create a significant triumphal structure to demonstrate his military prowess and began the process of designing a 24 m (78 ft) bronze elephant. He planned to use the bronze from cannon captured in battle melted down and recast to create an imposing structure. A stairway would allow visitors to ascend up one of the elephant's legs to an observation platform on its back.
was given the task of overseeing the project. Initially Jacques Cellerier was chosen as the architect and work began in 1810 on the ground works, with the vaults and underground pipes completed by 1812. At this point Jean-Antoine Alavoine
was chosen to replace him and the main pool was soon completed.
Alavoine, realising the need to show how the finished work would look, recruited Pierre-Charles Bridan to create a full-size model using plaster over a wooden frame. Completed in 1814, the model was protected by a guard named Levasseur who lived in one of the elephant's legs.
The construction work stopped in 1815 after the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo
. However, Alavoine was still seeking support to complete the project in 1833 and others also showed interest in finishing Napoleon's ambitious plans. In 1841 and 1843 the city council discussed options to complete the work using bronze, iron, or copper but none of the proposals were accepted.
.
The elephant itself was described quite negatively by Victor Hugo
in Les Misérables
; little other account of contemporary public perception is available.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
between 1813 and 1846. Originally conceived in 1808 by Napoleon, the statue was intended to be created out of bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
and placed in Place de la Bastille
Place de la Bastille
The Place de la Bastille is a square in Paris, where the Bastille prison stood until the 'Storming of the Bastille' and its subsequent physical destruction between 14 July 1789 and 14 July 1790 during the French Revolution; no vestige of it remains....
, but only a plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
full-scale model was built. At 24 m (78 ft) in height the model itself became a very recognisable construction and was to be immortalised by Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
in his novel Les Misérables
Les Misérables
Les Misérables , translated variously from the French as The Miserable Ones, The Wretched, The Poor Ones, The Wretched Poor, or The Victims), is an 1862 French novel by author Victor Hugo and is widely considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century...
in which it is used as a shelter by Gavroche
Gavroche
Gavroche is a fictional character from the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo.-Gavroche in the novel:Gavroche is the eldest son of M. and Mme Thénardier. He has two sisters, Éponine and Azelma, and two unnamed younger brothers. He is also technically unnamed; the reader is told he chooses the...
. It was built at the site of the Bastille
Bastille
The Bastille was a fortress in Paris, known formally as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. It played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and for most of its history was used as a state prison by the kings of France. The Bastille was built in response to the English threat to the city of...
and although part of the original construction remains the elephant itself was replaced by the July Column
July Column
The July Column is a monument to the Revolution of 1830. It stands in the center of the Place de la Bastille, in Paris, to commemorate the Trois Glorieuses, the "three glorious" days in July 1830 that saw the fall of Charles X of France and the commencement of the "July Monarchy" of...
.
Conception
When the Bastille fellStorming of the Bastille
The storming of the Bastille occurred in Paris on the morning of 14 July 1789. The medieval fortress and prison in Paris known as the Bastille represented royal authority in the centre of Paris. While the prison only contained seven inmates at the time of its storming, its fall was the flashpoint...
in July, 1789, there was some debate as to what should replace it, or indeed if it should remain as a monument to the past. Pierre-François Palloy
Pierre-François Palloy
Pierre-François Palloy , self styled as Patriote Palloy was an entrepreneurial building contractor remembered for the demolition of the Bastille.-Biography:...
secured the contract to demolish the building, with the dimension stone
Dimension stone
Dimension stone is natural stone or rock that has been selected and fabricated to specific sizes or shapes. Color, texture and pattern, and surface finish of the stone are also normal requirements...
s being reused for the construction of the Pont de la Concorde
Pont de la Concorde (Paris)
The Pont de la Concorde is an arch bridge across the River Seine in Paris connecting the Quai des Tuileries at the Place de la Concorde and the Quai d'Orsay...
and other parts sold by Palloy as souvenirs. Most of the building was removed over the subsequent months by up to 1,000 workers. In 1792 the area was turned into the Place de la Bastille with only traces of the fortress that had once dominated the area remaining.
In 1793, a fountain was built in the square. Known as the "Fountain of Regeneration", it had a very Egyptian-inspired design and depicted a woman with water flowing from her breasts.
Napoleon planned many urban regeneration projects for Paris and was particularly fond of monuments to his victories. He wanted to create a significant triumphal structure to demonstrate his military prowess and began the process of designing a 24 m (78 ft) bronze elephant. He planned to use the bronze from cannon captured in battle melted down and recast to create an imposing structure. A stairway would allow visitors to ascend up one of the elephant's legs to an observation platform on its back.
Construction
Dominique VivantDominique Vivant
Dominique Vivant, Baron de Denon was a French artist, writer, diplomat, author, and archaeologist. He was appointed first director of the Louvre Museum by Napoleon after the Egyptian campaign of 1798-1801.-Biography:...
was given the task of overseeing the project. Initially Jacques Cellerier was chosen as the architect and work began in 1810 on the ground works, with the vaults and underground pipes completed by 1812. At this point Jean-Antoine Alavoine
Jean-Antoine Alavoine
Jean-Antoine Alavoine was a French architect best known for his column in the Place de la Bastille, Paris , the July Column to memorialize those fallen in the Revolution of 1830...
was chosen to replace him and the main pool was soon completed.
Alavoine, realising the need to show how the finished work would look, recruited Pierre-Charles Bridan to create a full-size model using plaster over a wooden frame. Completed in 1814, the model was protected by a guard named Levasseur who lived in one of the elephant's legs.
The construction work stopped in 1815 after the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. However, Alavoine was still seeking support to complete the project in 1833 and others also showed interest in finishing Napoleon's ambitious plans. In 1841 and 1843 the city council discussed options to complete the work using bronze, iron, or copper but none of the proposals were accepted.
Demolition
Nearby residents began to complain that rats were inhabiting the elephant and searching for food in their homes, petitioning for demolition from the late 1820s. The model elephant was not removed until 1846 by which time it showed considerable wear.Legacy
The circular basin on which the elephant stood remains to this day and now supports the socle of the July ColumnJuly Column
The July Column is a monument to the Revolution of 1830. It stands in the center of the Place de la Bastille, in Paris, to commemorate the Trois Glorieuses, the "three glorious" days in July 1830 that saw the fall of Charles X of France and the commencement of the "July Monarchy" of...
.
The elephant itself was described quite negatively by Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
in Les Misérables
Les Misérables
Les Misérables , translated variously from the French as The Miserable Ones, The Wretched, The Poor Ones, The Wretched Poor, or The Victims), is an 1862 French novel by author Victor Hugo and is widely considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century...
; little other account of contemporary public perception is available.
See also
- Charles RibartCharles RibartCharles-François Ribart was an 18th century French architect.-Architectural career:In 1758, he planned an addition to the Champs-Élysées in Paris, to be constructed where the Arc de Triomphe now stands. It consisted of three levels, to be built in the shape of an elephant, with entry via a spiral...
, a French architect who also made plans for a giant elephant in Paris - Lucy the ElephantLucy the ElephantElephant hotel redirects here. For the National Historic Landmark located in Somers, New York, see Elephant Hotel.Lucy the Elephant is a six-story elephant-shaped example of novelty architecture, constructed of wood and tin sheeting in 1882 by James V...