The sculpted groups

Created by François Rude between 1833 and 1836, this sculpted group illustrates an essential event in revolutionary history: the conscription of 1792, when nearly 200,000 men ordered by the Legislative Assembly organized the defense of France in the face of foreign armies aligned against the revolutionaries.

The sculptor chose a totally allegorical vision of this national union. He does not use period costumes or weapons contemporary with the Revolution. The use of the romantic style seeks to reach an universal dimension and to symbolise the struggle of a people, whichever it is, to defend what belongs to them.

The high relief represents the Génie de la Liberté  in the form of a winged woman crying out in the face of enemy invasion. She invites the people to fight by brandishing her sword.

Underneath this figure, a bearded warrior with a cuirass is dragging a naked young man by the shoulder, while waving his helmet as a sign of departure and rallying. He seems to remain deaf to the advice that an old bearded man, placed in the background, seems to give him.

This high relief by Antoine Etex symbolises the nation's resistance to the invasion of foreign forces aligned against Napoleon in 1814. Russia and the Austrians had invaded and occupied the territory, up to Paris.

Resistance to invasion is a pre-eminently national theme: in the face of the enemy, all internal dissensions of a country must be erased so that the nation can regain its unity and preserve the integrity of its soil.

A naked warrior, standing with his right hand armed with a sword, is about to leave to defend his country. To his right, an old man tries to hold him back. To his left, his wife, holding their child in her arms, is also trying to convince him to stay. The bearded rider without armor falls from his mount, as if struck by lightning. He symbolises the sacrifice of a patriot for his country. The Génie de l'Avenir , wings spread and flame on the forehead dictates the duty of resistance of the soldier.