Statue of Liberty, Musée d’Orsay – Paris, France

I wonder if the current school children in the United States know that the Statue of Liberty, the giant one in New York City, was a gift from France? It was to commemorate the centennial of American independence in 1876. The statue was dedicated in 1886 and stands 151 feet tall on top of a 154-foot pedestal, totaling 305 feet.

A few years later, the same sculptor, Frédéric Bartholdi, crafted a 1/16 scale, 9-foot version for the 1900 Paris Exposition, which was eventually placed in the Jardin du Luxembourg. Over a century later, it was moved to the Musée d’Orsay, seen here.

While this replica is still substantial at 9 feet, it’s still petite compared to the original. It turns out there are many replicas of the Statue of Liberty. Unlike the Greek sculptures at the Louvre, Lady Liberty better ties into my history and almost has a pop art sensibility. I much prefer it over the ancient Greek works.

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