The Burghers of Calais
Rodin's sculpture of six burghers sacrificing themselves during the Hundred Years' War.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Auguste Rodin’s *The Burghers of Calais* (French: *Les Bourgeois de Calais*) exists in 12 authorized original castings plus many copies. The sculpture marks a moment from the Hundred Years’ War: the French port of Calais, on the English Channel, gave up after an 11-month siege. The city hired Rodin in 1884, and he finished the work in 1889.
In 1346, England’s Edward III—fresh from victory at Crécy—besieged Calais. France’s Philip VI ordered the city to hold out, but he could not break the siege. Starvation forced Calais to negotiate. The chronicler Jean Froissart (c. 1337–c. 1405) recorded what followed: Edward would spare the townspeople if six leaders surrendered themselves, likely to die. They had to walk out with nooses around their necks, carrying the keys to the city and castle. Eustache de Saint Pierre, one of the richest men, volunteered first; five other burghers joined him. Saint Pierre led them to the gates. Rodin’s sculpture, slightly larger than life, captures that instant—a mix of defeat, self-sacrifice, and readiness for death. Froissart says the burghers expected execution, but Queen Philippa of Hainault persuaded Edward to show mercy, arguing their deaths would bring bad luck to her unborn child.
Calais had tried since 1845 to erect a statue of Eustache de Saint Pierre alone. Two earlier artists failed: David d’Angers died, and the Franco-Prussian War stopped Auguste Clésinger. In 1884 the city invited several artists, including Rodin, to submit proposals. Rodin’s design—showing all six figures, not just de Saint Pierre—sparked controversy. The public thought it lacked “overtly heroic antique references,” then standard for public sculpture. It was not pyramidal, had no allegorical figures, and was meant to sit at ground level, not on a pedestal. The burghers were not shown in glory; they displayed “pain, anguish and fatalism.” For Rodin, this was still heroic—the heroism of self-sacrifice. In 1895 the monument was placed in Calais on a tall pedestal in front of Parc Richelieu, against Rodin’s wish that townsfolk “almost bump into” the figures and feel solidarity. Later, the sculpture was moved to a much lower base in front of the new town hall, where it now stands.
The six burghers depicted are: Eustache de Saint Pierre, Jacques de Wissant, Pierre de Wissant, Jean de Fiennes, Andrieu d’Andres, and Jean d’Aire.
French law limits original
- field
- Sculpture
- nationality
- French
- known_for
- Commemorating the self-sacrifice of six burghers of Calais during the Hundred Years' War
Lore & Background
In 1346, England's Edward III, after victory in the Battle of Crécy, laid siege to Calais, while Philip VI of France ordered the city to hold out at all costs. Philip failed to lift the siege, and starvation eventually forced the city to parley for surrender. The contemporary chronicler Jean Froissart tells a story of what happened next: Edward offered to spare the people of the city if six of its leaders would surrender themselves to him, presumably to be executed. Edward demanded they walk out wearing nooses around their necks, and carrying the keys to the city and castle. One of the wealthiest of the town leaders, Eustache de Saint Pierre, volunteered first, and five other burghers joined with him. Saint Pierre led this envoy of volunteers to the city gates. It was this moment, and this poignant mix of defeat, heroic self-sacrifice, and willingness to face imminent death which Rodin captured in his sculpture, scaled somewhat larger than life. According to Froissart's story, the burghers expected to be executed, but their lives were spared by the intervention of England's queen, Philippa of Hainault, who persuaded her husband to exercise mercy by claiming their deaths would be a bad omen for her unborn child.
Reader's Guide
The City of Calais had attempted to erect a statue of Eustache de Saint Pierre, eldest of the burghers, since 1845. Two prior artists were prevented from creating the sculpture: David d'Angers by his death, and Auguste Clésinger by the Franco-Prussian War. In 1884 the municipal corporation of the city invited several artists, Rodin amongst them, to submit proposals for the project. Rodin's design, which included all six figures rather than just de Saint Pierre, was controversial. The public felt that it lacked 'overtly heroic antique references' which were considered integral to public sculpture. It was not a pyramidal arrangement and contained no allegorical figures. It was intended to be placed at ground level, rather than on a pedestal. The burghers were not presented in a positive image of glory; instead, they display 'pain, anguish and fatalism'. To Rodin, this was nevertheless heroic, the heroism of self-sacrifice. In 1895 the monument was installed in Calais on a large pedestal in front of Parc Richelieu, a public park, contrary to the sculptor's wishes, who wanted contemporary townsfolk to 'almost bump into' the figures and feel solidarity with them. Only later was his vision realised, when the sculpture was moved in front of the newly completed town hall of Calais, where it now rests on a much lower base.
Did You Know?
- The sculpture was commissioned by the city of Calais in 1884 and completed in 1889.
- Rodin's design included all six burghers, not just Eustache de Saint Pierre, which was controversial.
- The sculpture was originally installed on a large pedestal in front of Parc Richelieu, against Rodin's wishes.
- Under French law, no more than 12 original casts of works by Rodin may be made.
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