Fontaine du Palmier
The Fontaine du Palmier (1806-1808) is a monumental fountain located in the Place du Châtelet, between the Théâtre du Châtelet et the Théâtre de la Ville. It was designed to provide drinking water to the population of Paris and to commemorate the victories of Napoleon Bonaparte. It is the largest of the fountains still existing built during Napoleon's reign.
The Fountain de Palmier was one of a series of fifteen fountains commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to his minister of the Interior, Emmanuel Cretet. It was designed by the engineer François-Jean Bralle, who was in charge of the Paris fountains and water supply during the First Empire.[1]
The column, modeled after a Roman triumphal column, is crowned by sculpted palm leaves, commemorating Napoleon's Egyptian Campaign, which give the fountain its name. The carvings on he column list the victories of Napoleon in Italy and Egypt.
At the top of the column is a statue of Victory made of gilded bronze, carrying the laurels of victory. The statue is the work of the sculptor Louis-Simon Boizot The present statue is a copy; the original is in the courtyard of the Carnavalet Museum of the history of Paris.
Around the base of the column are four statues representing Vigilance, Justice, Strength and Prudence, also made by Boizot. The lower basin of the fountain, designed by architect Gabriel Davioud, was added to the fountain during the reign of Emperor Louis Napoleon. a été ajouté à la fontaine en 1858, lors de son déplacement à son emplacement actuel. The base is also decorated with statues of Egyptian sphinxes spouting streams of water, sculpted by Henri-Alfred Jacquemart
The fountain was listed as an historic monument of France in 1952.
Bibliography
- Marie-Hélène Levadé et Hugues Marcouyeau, Les fontaines de Paris : l'eau pour le plaisir - Paris, 2008 - ISBN 9782915345056
- Daniel Rabreau, Paris et ses fontaines - Paris, 1997 - ISBN 9782905118806
References
- ^ Paris et Ses Fontaines.