Statue In Paris, France, And The Defeat Of France

The Burghers of Calais is a set of statues in Paris, France that was made from 1884-1895. These statues were made by Auguste Rodin to illustrate a historical event in the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453), which was between England and France for the control of France. King Edward III of England said he would spare the people of Calais if the citizens gave him a key to the city and sacrificed six prominent members of the city council. In the end, the council members were not killed, but these statues encapsulate the moment when they are about to leave the city to go to their deaths. This work is a scrap of time during the Hundred Years’ War, and you can feel the real sense of dread and anticipation in the piece. The six men are in a circle and
the men are all at the same level. This indicates that there is no real leader of the group. The statue is in-the-round, which means that it is a free-standing sculpture that can be viewed from all sides. All the men have identifiable features and each one is reacting in a different way. Some of the figures bow their heads and cower, while others stand up straight and accept their fate. This demonstrates how different people react to the same depressing situation. None of them look at each other, but their slumped shoulders and bare feet make them all look defeated. The heavy, dense fabric the men are wearing makes the men feel bound to the city, and the men are at face-level, making the statues approachable. Although the patrons of the artwork wanted the statues to be on a pedestal, the artist didn’t include a one because he wanted to enhance the personal connection between the viewer and the artwork. The men anticipated the end of their narrative, which they thought was death. Rodin was able to truly capture a moment of time in his work, which is why his art has been studied for so long and is considered a classic in the art world.