Description
Monument, 11.50 m high, with several bronze sculptures. Saint Quentin, represented by a woman with sword and mural crown, protecting France, represented by a woman with a lily flag, standing on top of a square column, which rests on a circilar base. Around the column are four scenes of the defense:
- Gaspard de Coligny shows the location of the place where the fight should start to the mayor Varlet de Gibercourt, below this the text 'Civis murus erat' (the citizen is a wall).
- The city corporations (gunners and archers) are represented to the left: A soldier brandishes the banner of the archers and sounds the horn (one of the bullets nearly cost the life of Eugene of Savoy, general of the siege).
- To the right the last moment of the resistance is represented by a man throwing a stone at the enemy as the ultimate defense. A monk was hit in the head and an other man still has the strength to fire a gun.
- On the back side Catherine de Lallier, wife of the mayor, takes care of a wounded man.
Thus, three scenes show the heroic resistance of the city while, and on the back pain of the population is represented.
On the side of the base is the text and a plaque, and eight bronze coat of arms of the major defenders: c. de lallier, les canonniers, de lignieres, louis varlet, g. de coligny, d'amerval, les archers, and caulaincourt
Inscription(s)
CIVIS MVRVS
ERAT
----
*1557*
a la gloire de ses citoyens
morts pour le salut de la France au siege de 1557
La Ville de St Quentin a eleve ce monument
avec le concours de Mr CH. PICARD ancien Maire
MDCCCLXXXXVI
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Signed (statue and group): Corneille Theunissen 1896 Louis BERTRAND 1932
Annotation
The monument was destroyed during the First World War and reconstructed in 1932. Until 1989 it was located on the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, where it was removed for the construction of a parking garage.
The Battle of Saint-Quentin of 1557 was fought during the Franco-Habsburg War (1551-1559). The Spanish, who had regained the support of the English, won a significant victory over the French at Saint-Quentin
(Wikipedia).
Sculptors
- Louis Bertrand, French sculptor.
- Corneille Henri Theunissen (Anzin, Nord, 1863 - Paris 1918),
French sculptor
(Wikipedia).
Sources & Information
Tags
Locatie (N 49°50'31" - E 3°17'41") (Satellite view: Google Maps)
Item Code: frpi004; Photograph: 24 May 2011
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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