Perhaps you have wondered about the story behind this marble figure before you: the Louise de Savoie Statue. It stands here on the balustrade terrace within the Luxembourg Gardens. The Louise de Savoie Statue is one of several statues of French queens and notable women here.
Louise of Savoy, or Louise de Savoie in French, was a significant figure in French history. She was born in September 1476. Louise became Regent of France for her son, King Francois I. She served as regent during 1515. She also served when the King was at war and when he was imprisoned in Spain.
King Louis Philippe I commissioned this statue. He wanted it to be displayed around the grand basin of the Luxembourg Gardens. The ministerial order to commission it was dated July 14, 1846. Jean-Baptiste Auguste Clesinger, often known as Auguste Clesinger, sculpted the Louise de Savoie Statue. He was a well-known French sculptor and painter. Auguste Clesinger was born in Besancon in 1814. He is also known for his death mask of Frederic Chopin.
The Louise de Savoie Statue is 2.35 meters tall. Clesinger completed the marble statue on June 30, 1851. It was then placed on the right-hand side of the garden. This is on the balustrade terrace southeast of the grand basin. The statue cost 12000 French francs.
The sculpture is part of the Reines de France et Femmes Illustres collection. It celebrates influential women who shaped French governance. The statue remains accessible during the Luxembourg Gardens’ opening hours. You can visit from early morning until evening. Opening hours vary depending on the season.
A plaque on the stone base shows Louise’s birth and death years. She was born in 1476 and died on September 22, 1531. Louise de Savoie was Duchess of Auvergne and Bourbon. More importantly, she was the mother of King Francis I of France. Widowed at 19, she moved her family to King Louis XII’s court. King Louis XII was her husband’s cousin. Her son Francis became a favorite of the king. The king gave Francis his daughter Claude de France in marriage. This made Francis his heir.
With Louis XII’s death in 1515, Francis became king. As regent, Louise served when Francis was absent. Through her daughter Margaret of Angouleme and granddaughter Jeanne d’Albret, she became the ancestor of the Bourbon kings. Her great-grandson, Henry of Navarre, became Henry IV of France.
Take a closer look at the Louise de Savoie Statue. Notice the detail that Auguste Clesinger put into this marble figure. Consider Louise de Savoie’s impact on French history. Remember her role as regent and mother of a king. The Louise de Savoie Statue stands as a tribute to a woman of power and influence.