Statue de Denis Diderot, Langres

The statue of Denis Diderot is a work of Auguste Bartholdi installed on the Place Diderot in Langres in 1884. Long opposed by conservative parties, this tribute had to wait for the election of a republican town council in 1880 and the centenary of the writer's death in 1884 to succeed. In order to finance the monument, two committees presided honorarily by Victor Hugo were in charge of collecting donations. In addition, because of the relationship that Catherine II of Russia had with Diderot, the city council worked to ask for a contribution from the Czar Alexander III, who accepted and contributed 2,000 francs, not without provoking reactions. Designed in Paris, the statue was first exhibited there before being transported by train to Langres. The inauguration of the monument took place on Sunday, August 3, 1884 with the mayor and in the presence of deputies, senators, the prefect of the department, representatives of the Society of the People of Letters and members of the city council of Paris; there followed various festive events and two banquets.

Due to oxidation, the statue was renovated in 2008, as part of a plan to highlight the philosopher for his tercentenary in 2013.