RUDE, François
(b. 1784, Dijon, d. 1855, Paris)

March of the Volunteers of 1792 (detail)

1833-36
Chérence stone
Arc the Triomphe de l'Étoile, Paris

Rude takes his place in the tradition of the Burgundian school. He was one of the masters of Romantic sculpture. Along with other sculptors, he worked on the decoration of the Arc de Triomphe at the Étoile in Paris; for the east face of the arch he carved the stone relief representing the March of the Volunteers of 1792, also known as La Marseillaise. In this epic work rooted in popular sentiment and patriotism, the shouting figure of the Marseillaise is incomparable for its passion and movement; Rude used his wife as a model, crying to her "Louder! Louder!"




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