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Origin and history

The Agen War Memorial 1914-1918 is located Place Armand-Fallières, near the prefecture. It was designed following a competition launched by the municipality between January and April 1922, reserved for artists born or residing in the department. Five projects were presented, and that of architect Georges Pujol and sculptor Daniel-Joseph Bacqué was selected in July 1922. The monument, inaugurated on 12 October 1924, consists of a central sculpted group representing a winged Victory protecting a soldier, overcoming an crypt containing the names of the dead soldiers.

The crypt, accessible by a bronze door decorated with a veiled woman symbolizing mourning, houses bronze plates engraved with the names of the deceased. Two groups of hairs frame the pedestal: on the left, soldiers defending a position; On the right, a motorcade carrying an injured man. The sculptor Daniel Bacqué, a native of Vianne and pupil of Bourdelle, made the central group, while the foundry was entrusted to Andro. This monument, owned by the commune, was listed as historical monuments on October 21, 2014.

The project was conducted in a context of national commemoration, with strong local involvement. The competition reflected the desire to enhance regional talent, while honouring the memory of 1,200 Agenais who died during the Great War. The Winged Victory, symbol of peace and protection, embodies the tribute to the sacrifices made. The monument, through its iconography and crypt, closely links collective mourning to a sacred and memorial dimension.

The bronze door of the crypt, presented at the Salons des artistes français in 1923 and 1924, illustrates the technical and artistic excellence of the project. His motive — a woman in mourning holding a sword — evokes both resignation and moral strength. This detail, coupled with the realistic representation of the hair, anchors the monument in a double dimension: heroic and human, celebrating both courage and suffering.

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