The equestrian statue of Joan of Arc, located in Place des Pyramides in the 1st arrondissement, remains one of the most famous monuments in Paris. Created in the 19th century, it has always embodied a political symbol, although its history is often little known. The statue we see today is not actually the original—it was secretly replaced by its own sculptor!
In 1870, after France’s humiliating defeat by Prussia, the newly established Third Republic sought to restore pride and hope to the French people. What could be more powerful than the symbol of Joan of Arc, the national heroine and embodiment of national unity?
Thus was born the idea of an equestrian statue—a privilege normally reserved for sovereigns and male military leaders. Emmanuel Frémiet, the most fashionable sculptor of the time, was chosen to create the work, which was inaugurated in 1874 in Place des Pyramides.
However, the statue quickly drew criticism. Unhappy with the negative feedback while he was working on another statue for the city of Nancy, Frémiet decided to alter the horse for this new version. Taking advantage of the metro construction works in 1898, he secretly replaced the original statue with his new creation, covering it with a golden patina to conceal the substitution.
As a result, the statue you admire today is not the one that originally stood at the heart of Place des Pyramides, but a version discreetly replaced by the artist himself.
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