Statue de Berthollet
Monument
Statue de Berthollet, located in Annecy (Département 74), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Annecy, Département 74, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 45.8993, 6.1322
- Mérimée Reference
- PA74000030
Standing in a square in Annecy, the statue of Berthollet pays tribute to Savoie's most illustrious chemist, the pioneer of chlorine and bleaching. A 19th-century monument of regional pride, it was listed as a Historic Monument in 2016.
History
In the heart of Annecy, a town nestled between lake and mountains, a bronze statue stands watch over passers-by: that of Claude Louis Berthollet, a local boy and giant of modern chemistry. Erected in the 19th century as part of a patriotic commemoration typical of the period, the statue is in the tradition of the civic monuments that sprang up all over France to glorify the great men born on French soil. Berthollet was no ordinary scientist. A contemporary of Lavoisier and a collaborator of Napoleon Bonaparte, he revolutionised the understanding of chemical reactions and paved the way for the large-scale bleaching industry. His statue, imposing and solemn, crystallises this dual identity: that of a universal man of science and that of a son of Savoie of which the region has always been proud. The visitor experience is both intimate and instructive. Unlike the spectacular monuments that take half a day to see, the statue of Berthollet can be contemplated in just a few minutes, but invites you to take a longer diversions through the streets and lanes of Annecy. The pedestal, adorned with evocative reliefs, reveals in stone the major stages of an extraordinary career. The setting in Annecy adds to the emotion: the pure Alpine air, the changing light that plays on the patinated bronze, the tiled roofs and colourful facades of the neighbouring houses create a strikingly beautiful backdrop. Photographers and walkers will particularly appreciate the golden hours of the morning or late afternoon, when the alpine light underlines the volumes of the sculpture with an almost dramatic precision.
Architecture
Berthollet's statue belongs to the genre of nineteenth-century civic commemorative statuary, the triumphant academic style that characterised French sculpture between 1830 and 1900. Made in bronze - a noble material par excellence for this type of work, appreciated for its durability and ability to capture detail - it stands on a pedestal of ashlar, probably limestone or granite, whose height gives the whole a monumental presence that can be felt from a distance. The iconography follows the conventions of the genre: the figure is depicted in ceremonial dress or scholarly garb, with symbolic attributes such as a book, retort or tablet evoking his chemical work. The modelling of the face and drapery betrays the technical mastery of a sculptor trained at the École des Beaux-Arts, probably from Lyon or Paris, who was familiar with municipal commissions of this type. The pedestal, sober and elegant, may bear inscriptions in capital letters recalling the name, dates and main contributions of the scholar. The overall height, including the pedestal, is probably between three and five metres, the usual dimensions for this type of provincial civic monument. The urban setting, on a square in Annecy, gives a 360-degree view, inviting visitors to walk around it to appreciate all the angles and details of its construction.
Related Figures
Claude Louis Berthollet (1748-1822) — chimiste savoyard, figure centrale du monumentAntoine Laurent de Lavoisier — collaborateur de Berthollet dans la réforme de la nomenclature chimiquePierre-Simon de Laplace — cofondateur avec Berthollet de la Société d'ArcueilNapoléon Bonaparte — dont Berthollet fut le conseiller scientifique et qu'il accompagna en ÉgypteLe sculpteur commandité par la Ville d'Annecy au XIXe siècle — auteur de l'œuvre, probablement formé à l'École des beaux-arts de Lyon ou de Paris
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Statue de Berthollet located?
Statue de Berthollet is located in Annecy, Département 74 department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, France.
When was Statue de Berthollet built?
Statue de Berthollet dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Statue de Berthollet open to visitors?
Statue de Berthollet is currently closed to visitors.