Statues - Hither & Thither

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Rue de l'Athénée 2
(Palais de l'Athénée)

Bustes à l'Athénée

Busts at the Athénée

Various sculptors
1863

Description

Nine busts are placed in front of circular niches with the names inscribed above. These nine men were chosen to represent the different eras and the brightest manifestations of national, intellectual and moral development of Genève.

(click on the photo for an enlargement in a separate window.)

North-façade:

adhemar fabri
Adhémar Fabri (La Roche-sur-Foron - Avignon 1388), bishop of Genève in the 14th century (Wikipedia).
bezanson hugues
Bezanson Hugues (c. 1491-1532?), Swiss political leader and protestant, gave his name to the Huguenots ('Hugues" + 'Eidgenosse' > Huguenot).
jean calvin
Jean Calvin (Noyon 1509 - Genève 1564), French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation Wikipedia).

1
2
3
michel roset
Michel Roset (Genève 1534 - Genève 1613), Swiss political figure who, with Theodore Beza, played the most important role in the affairs of Genève after the death of John Calvin in 1564 (Britannica).
j.j. rousseau
Jean Jacques Rousseau (Genève 1712 - Genève 1778), Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century (Wikipedia).
charles bonnet
Charles Bonnet (Genève 1720 - Genève 1793), Swiss naturalist and philosophical writer (Wikipedia).

4
5
6

West-façade
h.b. de saussure
Horace-Bénédict de Saussure (Conches 1740 - Conches 1799), Genevan aristocrat, physicist and Alpine traveller, often considered the founder of alpinism (Wikipedia).
ami lullin
Ami Lullin (Genève 1748 - Genève 1816), Swiss politician (Wikipedia).
c. pictet de rochemont
Charles Pictet de Rochemont (Cartigny 1755 - Lancy 1824), Swiss statesman and diplomat who prepared the declaration of Switzerland's permanent neutrality ratified by the great powers in 1815 (Wikipedia).

The busts are sculpted by three Genevan sculptors:

Dorcière made Hugues, Calvin, and Roset
Dufaux made De Saussure, Lullin and Pictet de Rochement
Menn made Fabri, Rousseau, and Bonnet

Sculptors

Louis Dorcière (Genève 1805 - Genève 1879), Swiss sculptor (SIKART Lexikon).
Auguste Frédéric Dufaux (Genève 1852 - Genève 1943), Swiss sculptor (SIKART Lexikon).
Charles Louis Menn (Genève 1822 - Genève 1894), Swiss sculptor (SIKART Lexikon).

Sources & Information

Journal de Genève, 27 September 1863 (through Archives Historiques Le Temps).

Locatie (N 46°11'55" - E 6°8'52") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: chge034; Photograph: 5 June 2013
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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