Fountains

Fontaine Subé

Reims

Fontaine Subé is a public fountain located on Place Drouet-d'Erlon in the center of Reims. It replaced the statue of Drouet d'Erlon, and the site had earlier hosted a statue honoring Louis-Jean Levesque de Pouilly from 1750 to 1840. The fountain was created by sculptors Paul Gasq, Paul Auban, and Louis Baralis, with ornamental work by Joseph Wary and architectural design by André Najoux. It was funded through donations in gold francs from Rémois Auguste Subé and a 1903 project call that received 87 responses.

The fountain is made up of a 17-meter column garlanded with vine, built from stones from Corgoloin and Chassignelles. Its symbolic figures include the city of Reims, represented by a standing, crowned, and draped woman, as well as Mercure for commerce, a blacksmith for industry, and a shepherd for agriculture. A bronze Renommée was also part of the composition, dedicated to the four rivers crossing the Marne department. Inaugurated by Foreign Minister Léon Bourgeois and mayor Adrien Pozzi, the fountain later lost elements during the occupation and was restored after World War II.

Map showing the location of Fontaine Subé in Reims
Location of Fontaine Subé in Reims

Nearby Objects

Location and Replacement

Fontaine Sube is located on Place Drouet-d'Erlon in the center of Reims. It occupies a prominent public space in the city center and replaced the statue of Drouet d'Erlon. The fountain is therefore associated both with its central urban setting and with the earlier monument that stood on the same site.

Creation, Reception, and Restoration of Fontaine Sube

The fountain was built on a site that had already held a statue honoring Louis-Jean Levesque de Pouilly from 1750 to 1840. The new work was created by sculptors Paul Gasq, Paul Auban, and Louis Baralis, with ornamentalist Joseph Wary and architect Andre Najoux. It was funded by gold francs donated by Remois Auguste Sube and by a 1903 call for projects that received 87 responses. Its design included a bronze Renommee dedicated to the four rivers crossing the Marne department, as well as nude naiades representing watercourses. The first stone was laid on an unspecified date, and the fountain was inaugurated on an unspecified date by Foreign Minister Leon Bourgeois and mayor Adrien Pozzi. At inauguration, its water flow was only 12 liters per second, which was criticized by inhabitants, and the presence of the nude figures also provoked reactions. During the occupation, the bronze statue was removed in 1942 and other composition elements were lost. Even so, the fountain survived the destruction of 60 percent of Reims at the end of World War II. It was later restored after six months of work with a budget of 650,000 euros, financed mainly by sponsorship, and the restoration added new nighttime lighting, cleaned the statuary, and provided a more powerful water flow.

Design and Symbolism

Fontaine Sube is described as a 17 meter high column garlanded with vine. The column is made from stones from Corgoloin and Chassignelles. Its design combines several symbolic figures and motifs. The city of Reims is represented by a standing, crowned, and draped woman. Commerce is represented by Mercure, while industry appears through a blacksmith and agriculture through a shepherd. Vine is also included among the fountain's symbols, reinforcing the decorative and thematic unity of the monument.