American Independence: A French and Parisian Story
The 4 July 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the American Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. From the reception for Benjamin Franklin in 1778 until the end of the Revolutionary War, signed in Paris on 3 September 1783, France played a special role in these events. Frequently celebrated ever since, the ties between the two countries may be seen across numerous examples. The selection of works on display here illustrates two important moments in this shared history.

Philadelphia 1876, Paris 1878: The World Fairs
To mark the centennial of American Independence, a “Franco-American Union Committee” was founded in Paris to present the United States with a colossal Statue of Liberty on behalf of the French people honouring the friendship between the two republics. In 1876, Philadelphia hosted the World Fair, and in it, exhibited the first fragment of the monument: the torch. Two years later, the head was unveiled in Paris.

“La Fayette, here we are!”
The United States’ entry into the war in 1917 marked a turning point in the First World War and led to a lasting renewal of this Franco-American friendship. The memory of General La Fayette, the French hero of American Independence, was invoked by the two allies, and Paris proudly displayed banners showing the Stars and Stripes until the end of the conflict.