Statue of Montesquieu

1857. J. Philippe
Inauguration des statues de Montaigne et de Montesquieu sur la place des Quinconces (ext. du Monde Illustré)
© Mairie de Bordeaux

Commissioned by the city of Bordeaux in 1834, the two colossal white Carrara marble statues of Montaigne and Montesquieu were executed between 1843 and 1847 by the sculptor Dominique Felix Maggesi (Carrara, 1801 – Bordeaux, 1892). Originally destined to stand in the Allées de Tourny, the two works were finally placed in the hemicycle of the Parc des Quinconces and inaugurated on September 5, 1858.
In accordance with the wishes of the city council, Charles le Secondat, baron de la Brède et de Montesquieu (château de la Brède 1689 – Paris, 1755) is represented wearing his official costume as president à mortier of the Bordeaux Parlement, a position he occupied from 1716 to 1726.
Listed since June 2008 in the Supplementary Inventory of classified movable objects, the sculpture of Montesquieu was the subject of a major restoration campaign lasting from March to May 2009. The campaign was subsidised by the DRAC and financed by the Heritage Foundation.