Skip to main content

Where Was Gumbo? Paris. Where's the Statue? Everywhere!

Paris-ile-des-cygnes-statue-de-la-liberte-tour-eiffel-seine-Greudin

Where in the World was TravelGumbo? If we simply said "At the Statue of Liberty," it wouldn't have been a very precise identification, because, as I found and you shall see, the iconic statue is everywhere and in so many forms!

WITW100

In today's blog, I'm offering about 30 different variations, with not a single picture of the "original" in New York Harbor. As Jonathan L, and Roderick Simpson, and PortMoresby (in that order) realized, Gumbo was visiting one of the replica's in the Green Lady's hometown, Paris. It's on the Ile aux Cygnes, a narrow strip island built in the 1820s to protect nearby port facilities. It's nearly 3000 feet long and only 36 feet wide. That's it, below; the statue is at the far end.

 

Dusk%2C%20Ile%20des%20Cygnes This replica statue of Liberty has a strong tie to the New York one. It's 1/4 the size, and was given to the city of Paris on July 4, 1889 as a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. That's why it has the second date on it, July 14, 1789. An odd fact: the statue originally faced east, toward Paris and the Eiffel Tower; in 1937, when Paris was hosting an Exposition Universelle, the statue was turned west to fact it, and its sibling in New York.

 Liberty001at arts et metiers-Asterix93681px-Statue_de_la_liberte-PhilippeIt's not the only Paris Liberty; there's another in the Jardin du Luxembourg, above right, that was built by Bartholdi, sculptor of the Statue of Liberty, as a working model for the final work. There's a small one in the Musee d'Orsay, and another at the Musee des Arts et Metiers (ablove left). Two more that have an attachment of their own to the original are this one (below left) in Colmar, in Eastern France, home of Liberty's creator, Bartholdi, and (below right) in Visnes, Norway, at the mine that supplied the copper for the original statue. 

 

768px-ColmarStatueLibertérRéplique-Koruma33 Statue_Of_Liberty_Replica_Norway_Visnes-WikiSwein

As a powerful symbol, the statue often appears in political cartoons and caricatures where features are intentionally distorted or reshaped. Many of the replica statues, too, are not true copies, but approximations. Keep an eye as you look at the parade below, for how often an unusual expression appears on Liberty's face, and how much the flame of her torch varies, or even disappears. The gallery here is far from all there are, or even all I found. If you have a favorite I missed, feel free to attach it to a comment!

 

Statue_of_Liberty_bronze_replica_Sioux_Falls_SD-Jerry 7171 564px-Liberty_at_Brooklyn_Museum_jeh-jim.henderson

 Odd expression, Sioux Falls, SD (l) ; Brooklyn refugee from Manhattan warehouse roof.

 

 

 

768px-Liberty_arrabe-AlmogLadyLibertyjerusalem2

 Two odd versions in Israel; concrete on left in Arrabe, and "erector set" Jerusalem. And speaking of "erector set," here's a Lego version that toured as an advertising display a few years ago.

LEGO_Statue_of_Liberty_(6334839445) InSapphoWeTrust

Libertymendota

This winter prank at Lake Mendota, Wisconsin was fun while it lasted...

 

768px-Statue_of_Liberty_(Guam)_-_DSC01325-DaderotLady_Liberty_of_London_Mills IL-K.W. Sampson

 

Guam, left, and London Mills, IL

 

 

1024px-Statue_of_Liberty_replica,_Trinidad,_CO_IMG_5027-Billy Hathorn

 

Trinidad, Colorado, above, and at New York City Center (shopping mall) in Rio

 

Barra.100-New York City Center in Rio-G.Curado

768px-2010-10-30_replica_Statue_of_Liberty_Maceio_Alagoas_Brazil-Chris Scott

 Another Brazilian version, with white lightbulb, in Maceio Alagoas

 

Liberty_-_POITIERS-ShizhaoLiberty_Enlightening_the_Parkway-Vestavia Hills AL-Altairisfar

A distorted torch in Poitiers, France and a disproportionate pedestal in Vestavia Hills AL

  

Liberty-stcyr sur mer riviera-sergedSocha_Svobody_v_Komořanech

 

Left, gold in St-Cyr-sur-Mer, France; right, a torchless torch in Komoranech, Czech Rep.

 

Rainbow_Bridge_(Tokyo)_at_night_2-Kakidai

 

Tokyo's statue has Rainbow Bridge for background

 

Paris.seine.liberty.500pix-Alan Pingstone faces west toward NYStatue_of_Liberty_Leicester_UK-Dawkeye

 

 Paris again, and Leicester, England

 

Statue_of_Liberty_New_York_Las_Vegas-timjarretStatue_of_Liberty_replica_in_Bahria_Town_Phase_8_Islamabad.-Maknur

Las Vegas, at New York casino, and right, in Islamabad, Pakistan

 

The_Statue_of_Liberty_in_Momoisi-Oirase_Aomori_Japan-Wakkubox

 And a last example from Japan

 

So...Where in the World is your favorite Statue of Liberty? 

 

Attachments

Images (30)
  • 564px-Liberty_at_Brooklyn_Museum_jeh-jim.henderson
  • 681px-Statue_de_la_liberte-Philippe
  • 768px-2010-10-30_replica_Statue_of_Liberty_Maceio_Alagoas_Brazil-Chris Scott
  • 768px-ColmarStatueLibertérRéplique-Koruma33
  • 768px-Liberty_arrabe-Almog
  • 768px-Statue_of_Liberty_(Guam)_-_DSC01325-Daderot
  • 1024px-Statue_of_Liberty_replica,_Trinidad,_CO_IMG_5027-Billy Hathorn
  • Barra.100-New York City Center in Rio-G.Curado
  • Lady_Liberty_of_London_Mills IL-K.W. Sampson
  • LadyLibertyjerusalem2
  • LEGO_Statue_of_Liberty_(6334839445) InSapphoWeTrust
  • Liberty_-_POITIERS-Shizhao
  • Liberty_Enlightening_the_Parkway-Vestavia Hills AL-Altairisfar
  • Liberty001at arts et metiers-Asterix93
  • Libertymendota
  • Liberty-stcyr sur mer riviera-serged
  • Paris.seine.liberty.500pix-Alan Pingstone faces west toward NY
  • Paris-ile-des-cygnes-statue-de-la-liberte-tour-eiffel-seine-Greudin
  • Rainbow_Bridge_(Tokyo)_at_night_2-Kakidai
  • Socha_Svobody_v_Komořanech
  • Statue_de_la_liberte Jardin du Luxembourg-Filip
  • Statue_of_Liberty_bronze_replica_Sioux_Falls_SD-Jerry 7171
  • Statue_of_Liberty_Leicester_UK-Dawkeye
  • Statue_of_Liberty_New_York_Las_Vegas-timjarret
  • Statue_of_Liberty_replica_in_Bahria_Town_Phase_8_Islamabad.-Maknur
  • Statue_Of_Liberty_Replica_Norway_Visnes-WikiSwein
  • The_Statue_of_Liberty_in_Momoisi-Oirase_Aomori_Japan-Wakkubox
  • Capture
  • WITW100
  • Dusk%2C%20Ile%20des%20Cygnes

The best part of every trip is realizing that it has upset your expectations

Add Comment

Comments (2)

Newest · Oldest · Popular
Post
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×