Une exposition autour du Champollion de Bartholdi, déposé à Nogent-sur-Seine
The Musée Camille Claudel in Nogent-sur-Seine is hosting a new exhibition centered around Auguste Bartholdi’s monument to Jean-François Champollion. The statue, recently transferred from the courtyard of the Collège de France by the Fonds national d’art contemporain, serves as the focal point for a display that explores the history and significance of the work. The exhibition provides a scholarly counter-narrative to recent ideological criticisms surrounding the monument's iconography.
This presentation is significant as it directly addresses the heated debate regarding the statue's depiction of Champollion with his foot on a fallen pharaonic head. While critics like Bénédicte Savoy have labeled the work as a symbol of colonial dominance, the museum uses this display to provide historical context and challenge such interpretations. The move to Nogent-sur-Seine marks a new chapter for the controversial masterpiece, shifting it from a site of public protest to a space for curated educational analysis.