Monument to the dead

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Origin and history

The monument to the dead of the Abymes is a cenotaph erected in memory of the inhabitants who died during the First World War. Located on Frédéric-Jalton Square (formerly Place de la Liberté), it was commissioned by Mayor Max Clainville-Bloncourt and directed by Armenian sculptor Ardaches Baldjian, who has been based in Martinique since 1934. The work, in concrete and ceramic, represents allegories including a black Marianne, rare for the time, and a naked colonial soldier symbolizing ancient heroism. Inaugurated on 26 December 1937 in the presence of Governor Felix Eboué, it cost FRF 136 000.

The monument, six meters high, evokes a shell by its pyramidal shape. Its four sides have ceramic panels painted in the Metropolis: The Republic offering a crown, The Republic collecting a wounded (inspired by a pieta), The Participation of colonial troops (with military symbols), and The victorious Guadeloupe (Antalaise woman with palm and dove). The 43 names of the dead soldiers are engraved there. Ranked a historic monument on December 10, 2013, it illustrates the commitment of the Antillese during the Great War and colonial memorial art.

Ardaches Baldjian, survivor of the Armenian genocide and pupil of Antoine Bourdelle, mixes European and Antillean influences. The choice of a black Marianne and a naked soldier – a tribute to ancient heroes – breaks with the racist stereotypes of the time. Félix Éboué, governor involved in the project, embodies the commitment of local elites to an inclusive memory. The monument, a communal property, remains a strong symbol of Guadeloupéan identity and recognition of colonial sacrifices.

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