The Creation, Destruction and Recreation of Henri IV: Seeing Popular Sovereignty in the Statue of a King

This article examines the multiple meanings attributed to the 1818 restoration of the statue of Henri IV in Paris within the context of the French Restoration’s contest over memory. It first examines the meaning of Henri IV over time and the meaning of the statue’s location, and then considers the meaning of the crowd in visual and textual depictions of the ceremony to restore the statue. The article argues that the statue of Henri IV at the moment of its 1818 resurrection simultaneously symbolized the legitimacy of the restored monarchy, reconciliation following a long period of civil conflict, and the legitimate authority of the crowd.