Fontaine Bartholdi

About

The Fountain Bartholdi (French pronunciation: [e]) is a proud sculpted by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and directed in 1889 by Gaget & Gautier. It was erected at the Place des Terreaux, in the 1st arrondissement of Lyon, in September 1892.

History: On 20 April 1857, the Bordeaux city decided to hold a competition to create a fountain for Place Quinconces. Frédéric Bartholdi, then aged 23, won the contest. However, the city hall of Bordeaux decided not to carry out its project. After Bartholdi had made the Statue of Liberty in New York in 1886, the mayor of Bordeaux contacted Him, but his new project was Canceled after much hesitation. It was finally completed in 1888, but it was deemed as too expensive and therefore was sold to Lyon. It was unveiled as part of the Universal Exhibition (1889). The fountain was eventually put at the Place des Terreaux and is currently still there. The fountain depicts France as a female (Marianne) posted on a trolley controlling the oven great rivers of France, represented by wildly rearing and plunging horses, highly individualized but sympmetrically arranged, with flanges and kidneys of water weeds. The forest weighs 21 tones...