What is the purpose of this project?

Riom has an extraordinary number and variety of public sculptures and statues. By studying them, we will gain an insight into the different periods of the town's expansion.

This History/Geography/Civics/Art History/Arts project will be completed by June 2015.

This project is part of our "seconde section europénne" course on "Cities and sustainable development".

Some of the questions we will be seeking answers to during our project are:

• Where, when, by whom and for whom was a particular public sculpture or statue erected?
• What is the sculpture or statue “about” (patriotic or civic pride, loyalty to the King or the Republic, republican values, tribute to a great man or woman, commemoration of a war, religious devotion, etc.)?
• What does it tell us about the values and socio-cultural practices of the time?
• How is it perceived today?