Memorial Plaque of General Louis Faidherbe

Monumental 1906 Bronze Memorial Plaque of General Louis Faidherbe – A Rare Survivor of War and Bronze Requisitions, an Unprecedented Cultural and Military Artifact

This is an exceptionally rare, museum-grade bronze commemorative relief plaque depicting the famous French General Louis Léon César Faidherbe (1818–1889). Sculpted in 1906 by the highly respected French artist and medalist Adolphe Masselot (1877–1953) from Lille, this monumental piece measures an impressive 53 cm in height and weighs a substantial 11 kilograms. It is a masterclass in high-relief portraiture, signed by the artist, and stands as a commanding testament to early 20th-century French patriotic art.
A Direct Survivor of World War Destruction & Bronze Metal Drives

The physical survival of this massive 11-kilogram bronze plaque is nothing short of miraculous. The city of Lille and its industrial surroundings were heavily damaged during both World War I and World War II, facing devastating artillery bombardments and Allied air raids. More importantly, during both German occupations, the region was subjected to ruthless metal requisitions. Statues, church bells, and institutional bronze plaques were systematically stripped from walls and melted down to feed the German ammunition factories.
Given its pristine condition, this plaque was almost certainly saved by a defiant individual—perhaps a French official, a resistance member, or a caretaker—who risked their safety to unscrew this monument from a public building and hide it deep within a coal cellar, beneath floorboards, or behind a false wall to escape the German bronze drives. It is an artifact that literally escaped the fires of two World Wars.

The Post-War Silence: Hidden History & Modern Debates

In the decades following the wars, as global perspectives on colonialism shifted, many such monuments were quietly removed from public spaces and vanished into storage. Instead of engaging in an open public debate, current institutions and politicians often choose to avoid the discussion altogether, preferring to hide this complex history away in a dusty cellar.
Even his surviving grand public monuments have become focal points of intense modern controversy. For instance, Faidherbe’s gigantic bronze equestrian statue in Lille, as well as his monument in Saint-Louis (Senegal), have faced fierce protests and calls for removal. In response to the shifting historical consensus, authorities have recently felt compelled to install explanatory panels next to these remaining public statues to explicitly address the brutal colonial context of his actions. For the historian and serious collector, however, this plaque remains an indispensable, tangible record of the era's propaganda, capturing a moment in time just before the colonial empires began to fracture.
A Storied Military Career: From Colonial Expansion to National Defense. The plaque masterfully captures the stern, historic countenance of General Faidherbe, a titan of 19th-century French military history. His career was defined by immense power and rapid advancement across several key global theaters:

• Early Career & Engineering: Graduating from the prestigious École Polytechnique, Faidherbe began his career in the military engineers (Génie), serving with distinction in Algeria and the West Indies (Guadeloupe), where his strategic mind quickly caught the attention of his superiors.
• The Governorship of Senegal (1854–1861, 1863–1865): Appointed as Governor, Faidherbe transformed French West Africa. He founded the city of Dakar, expanded French territory along the Senegal River, and established the infamous École des Otages (School of Hostages) to assimilate the sons of local chiefs. While celebrated in France as the "founder of modern Senegal," his aggressive campaigns and ruthless "pacification" tactics—often burning entire villages and destroying crops to force capitulation—make him a highly controversial and polarizing figure today.
• Hero of the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871): Following the disastrous fall of Napoleon III at Sedan, Leon Gambetta appointed Faidherbe as the Commander of the Armée du Nord. Leading a hastily assembled and vastly outnumbered force of raw recruits, Faidherbe proved to be a brilliant tactician. He checked the Prussian advance at the bloody battles of Pont-Noyelles and Bapaume, successfully protecting the northern departments of France from total occupation and securing his status as a national hero.
• Later Years and Grand Honors: Following the war, he was elected as a Senator for the Nord department and was awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. He passed away in Paris in 1889 and was honored with a monumental state funeral, cementing his legacy in the fabric of French history.

A Peerless Collector’s Masterpiece
This monumental bronze plaque is not a commercial, mass-produced decorative item. It is a highly limited institutional casting, likely one of only 5 to 15 copies ever made for French municipal buildings, veterans' halls, or high-ranking committee members. With no other examples known to exist on the private market today, it offers an absolute monopoly for a serious collector or institution. A visually stunning, historically deep, and heavily battle-tested survivor of 20th-century European history.