“AT THE DEFENCE OF THE SUEZ CANAL”
Monument – Near Ismailia
In 1925 the sculptor Raymond Delamarre and the architect Michel Roux-Spitz won the contest launched by the Universal Company of the Suez Canal Maritime, for the construction near Ismailia, Eggypt, of a memorial of the defense of the Suez Canal 1915 (during the 1914-1918 war) by British, Egyptian, French and Italian contingents of allied land and sea armies who repulsed an attack by the Turkish army.
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The site chosen and arranged for the monument contributes to underline the large dimensions of Jebel Mariam – a vast, bare plateau which is nearly 30 meters above the level of Lake Timsah. Large, gently sloping ramps reaching the end of the platform on which it stand contribute to the overall architectural effect. Beautifully situated and expressive in a desert landscape, dominating more than 70 meters from the banks of the Canal, it imposes its silhouette for several hours to all the boats of the world using the sea lane.
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It was a huge project, taking five years to complete. Two huge statues of winged angels were produced in the rose granite from a quarry in Sardinia on Maddalena Island. These were 8 meters high (26ft) and 13 meters in length (43ft), vigorously carved and largely stylized symbolizing the “Serene Intelligence (carrying the torch) and the “Severe Force” (guardian of the destinies of the country). They were placed at the base of two 40 meter (130ft) high pylons, also of Sardinia rose granite, with the space between each pylon representing the canal itself.
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Stones, carved on the Maddalena Island were transported from Sardinia by boat to the site of the monument in Egypt
Meanwhile, Raymond Delamarre modeled in earth, then molded in plaster his design for the two angels, 1/10th of the size. These were then carved in stone and polished in this small format so that every aspect of the final realization could be examined. These sculptures are now exhibited at the Museum of the 30s (Espace Landowski) in Noulogne Billancourt.
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Half size sculptures were then made, 4 meters high, and transported by boat from Genoa in April and September 1928, to Sardinia where they were executed in definitive size. Working from July 1928 until March 1929, some eight and a half month, each carved block was numbered, crated in wooden crates, and transported by boat to Egypt.
A huge wooden scaffolding was built on the site of the monument to allow for the assembly of the cut stones. The two pylons already in place, also in the rose granite to help keep a great unity to it all. With Delamarre traveling to Egypt on many occasions in the five year construction, he engaged a team of practitioners to live “in situ” for the construction of his two winged angels.
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The inauguration took place on the 3rd February 1930 on the shores of Lake Timsah.
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A special medal was struck to celebrate this inauguration, the medal designed by Robert Delamarre himself.
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The monument is still in place today and can be viewed on
Google Earth:
Suez Canal, Longitude 32.359722 Latitude 30.410556