It’s difficult to imagine that this column set up for the glory of the imperial Grande Armée and Napoleon, was knocked down in 1871 and put back in place in 1875. The famous painter Gustave Courbet worked actively so that this monument, poured with the bronze of the artillery of the imperial army, was destroyed. Courbet would have said on this matter: » you will see that it will crush me by falling. « ? It did not crush him in the real sense of the term, but Courbet was put in a so unbearable situation that he died in exile, pursued by his creditors…