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Secondary sourceSculpture1858

Statue of Montesquieu, Bordeaux

Dominique Fortuné Maggesi · 1858

An 1858 marble statue of Montesquieu on Bordeaux's place des Quinconces, commemorating the city's famous magistrate.

This statue in Bordeaux commemorates Montesquieu as the city's famous magistrate and philosopher.

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White marble statue of a man with curled shoulder-length wig, wearing a draped cloak and holding a rolled scroll in one hand, set against dark green trees.
Dominique Fortuné Maggesi, Statue of Montesquieu, 1858. Place des Quinconces, Bordeaux.

About this source

What it is

This is a white marble statue of Montesquieu made in 1858 by the sculptor Dominique Fortuné Maggesi. It stands on the place des Quinconces in Bordeaux, the city where Montesquieu served as a magistrate.

Why it matters

Over a century after his death, Bordeaux honored Montesquieu as one of its most famous sons. The statue shows how cities use public monuments to celebrate thinkers connected to their history, holding him up as a model citizen and intellectual.

Look closer

  • Why do you think Bordeaux chose to honor Montesquieu with a statue in a public square?
  • What does the scroll in his hand suggest the sculptor wanted to emphasize about him?
  • How might a statue made a century after someone's death differ from how they saw themselves in life?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Baron de Montesquieu on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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