Inaugurated in 1883 on the place de la République in Paris, it represents Marianne, an allegory of the republic.

[1] The pedestal is decorated with 3 statues each representing one of the 3 words of the french motto, liberty, equality, fraternity.

Around the pedestal, under those statues, are a group of 12 high reliefs in bronze representing significant dates for the French Republic.

Her left hand rests on a tablet with the inscription "human rights" (French: droits de l'homme).

[2] Connected with rosettes and arranged at eye level, they constitute a chronology of events marking the history of the French Republic, between 1789 and 1880 : A 3 m tall bronze lion is located at ground level beside an urn labeled "universal suffrage" (French: suffrage universel).