Monument to a Revolutionary Hero

As the preceding chapters demonstrate, Julien-David Leroy gained considerable notoriety for his travels, publications, and research, such that during the early years of the French Revolution, he was regarded as an authority in matters relating to both civil and naval architecture. After the suppression of the royal academies on August 8, 1793, Leroy quickly rose to prominence within a number of early Revolutionary institutions connected with the Enlightenment ideals of scientific and artistic progress, public education, and the preservation of historic monuments. While continuing to teach architecture, he served as a member of the Conservatoire du Museum des Arts, the Commission Temporaire des Arts, and the Conseil de Conservation. He belonged to the Commune des Arts, the Société Républicaine des Arts, ¹ and the Société du Point Central des Arts et Métiers. ² Leroy also served on a number of commissions for judging artistic competitions during the Revolution, including the so-called “Concours de l’An 2,” ³ the competition for replanning the site of Bordeaux’s Château Trompette in 1801, ⁴ and the competition to design columns dedicated to military heroes in the capitals of the départements the same year. ⁵ Finally, in a list of the principal living artists in France drafted for the minister of the Interior in 1800, Leroy was placed first among architects and described as “un des Doyens de l’Architecture.” ⁶