The Statue of Jean Rapp is a monument to General Rapp created by Auguste Bartholdi and located in Colmar, in the Haut-Rhin department of France. Commissioned in 1854, it was Bartholdi’s first public work. The statue was exhibited on the Champs-Élysées in Paris at the 1855 Universal Exposition before being inaugurated in Colmar as a bronze monument.
The sculpture measures 3.50 meters in height and stands on a granite base 4.20 meters high. It presents the general in an imposing attitude with an expressive face. The pedestal bears the names of battles including Iéna, Austerlitz, Marengo, and la Moskova, as well as the inscription “Ma parole est sacrée,” referring to a proclamation made during the siege of Dantzig in 1813.
The work was planned for removal after the 1872 annexation of Alsace and was taken down during the Occupation. It was restored by Édouard Stenzel after the Liberation in 1948 and inaugurated on a provisional base by Edmond Michelet, with general de Lattre de Tassigny and mayor Édouard Richard present. The statue is classified as a historical monument. A cast of the bust, damaged in 1940, is preserved at the Musée Bartholdi.
Nearby Objects
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Dominikanerkirche 250 m away -
Dominican Convent 250 m away -
Musée Bartholdi 250 m away -
St Martin's Church 300 m away -
Manneken-Pis de Colmar 300 m away
Monument to General Rapp in Colmar
The Statue of Jean Rapp is a monument to General Rapp created by Auguste Bartholdi. It is located in Colmar, in the Haut-Rhin department of France. The work forms part of the city's public heritage and is identified directly with the commemoration of General Rapp through its sculptural form and placement in Colmar.
Commissioning and Restorations
The statue representing General Jean Rapp was commissioned in Colmar in 1854 and later exhibited on the Champs-Elysees in Paris at the 1855 Universal Exposition. The bronze statue was then inaugurated in Colmar. It is also noted as the first public work of Auguste Bartholdi. After the 1872 annexation of Alsace, the statue was planned for removal by the Germans, and it was taken down during the Occupation. Following the Liberation, it was restored by Edouard Stenzel in 1948. The monument was then inaugurated on a provisional base by Edmond Michelet, in the presence of General de Lattre de Tassigny and Mayor Edouard Richard.
Design and Inscription
The statue of Jean Rapp is a bronze work measuring 3.50 meters in height and set on a granite base 4.20 meters high. Rapp is shown in an imposing attitude with an expressive face. The pedestal includes engraved references to the battles of Iena, Austerlitz, Marengo, and la Moskova. It also bears the phrase Ma parole est sacree, recalling Rapp's proclamation to a Russian parliamentarian during the siege of Dantzig in 1813. A cast of his bust, damaged in 1940, is displayed at the Musee Bartholdi. The statue is classified as a historical monument.
Casting and Design
According to Fondeur et architecture, the casting of the statue was entrusted to the fonderie Charnod de Montrouge. The architect of the original base was named Mathias Xavier Hatz. The model was created by Bartholdi in the house built by Charlotte Beysser in Paris, on rue Vavin. Fondeur et architecture also notes that Bartholdi lived in this house for nearly forty years and produced most of his works there.