Félix-Alexandre Desruelles was a French sculptor who was born in Valenciennes in 1865. He was runner up for the Prix de Rome in 1891, won the Prix national des Salons in 1897 and a gold medal at l'Exposition Universelle in 1900. He died in La Flèche in 1943. He was a member of the Institut de France and of the Académie des Beaux-Arts.
War memorials
WorkLocationSubject, notes and referencesThe monument aux morts at ArrasArrasOne of Desruelles best known works is the war memorial (monument aux morts) in Arras. He was also the sculptor of the monument in the square Guynemer in Dunkirk dedicated to all the Marines (Fusiliers marins) killed in the 1914-1918 war especially those of the Admiral Alexis Ronarc’h Brigade which had helped to save Dunkirk from occupation by holding the Germans on the line of the Yser in 1914. The Arras war memorial stands in the Place Foch opposite Arras railway station. The inauguration took place on 22 November 1931, the inauguration party being led by Marshal Philippe Pétain. Desruelles was the winner of a competition held in 1928 to select the sculptor. The monument comprises a central column, said to follow the design of the old temples of Mesopotamia. On the side of the column facing the railway station we have an angel, representing peace, at the top of the column, and below her a soldier. Between the two figures is the inscription "Arras a ses enfants morts pour la défense du droit". Under the angel of peace are the words "La Paix, les ailes largement déployées, debout sur le promontoire". Under the soldier is the inscription: "Le soldat français / hier soldat de Dieu / Aujourd’Hui Soldat de l’humanité / Sera toujours le soldat du droit".The right and left sides of the column bear a series of reliefs those reliefs on one side being concerned with peace and those on the other with war. Those concerning peace are a celebration of "Work"-life in the fields and in industry. At the bottom we see a tractor and the word "Travail". Moving upwards we see four farm labourers working in unison with scythes, and above a frieze of bee-hives. Above this frieze, two cows are seen being led along by a youngster and next we have two horses pulling a plough and then we see two sacks filled with flour; the fruits of all their labour. Dealing with commerce and industry there are a miner, a farrier and a farm labourer standing side by side. Above these figures we see three miners hewing coal and then have another frieze, this one featuring miners' lamps. Next we see various women at work; a linen draper and a woman attending to her baby. Finally we have a tipstaff, a sheaf of corn and a wheel with gears and at the top a further frieze of ears of corn. The other side of the column deals with war; not epic battles but the daily life of soldiers at the front. At the bottom we see a tank, and above the tank a soldier in the trenches, and then a donkey carrying a pack. A frieze of mortars then leads us to five marching soldiers. Next we have a cannon, then a sailor, an infantryman and an aviator, the three arms of the services. Above them an angel is seen sounding a trumpet with the words "Gloire à notre France Eternelle / A ceux qui sont morts pour elle". We then have a frieze featuring everyday objects. Next we have a nurse carrying a tray of medicines and a figure representing "Notre Dame de Lorette" that most important war memorial and cemetery. At the top is a bundle of rifles flanked by two croix de guerres and above them a row of torpedoes.The monument aux morts at AuchelAuchel Pas-de-CalaisAuchel is a former mining town situated southwest of Béthune and the monument in the rue Jean Jaurès is a work by Desruelles. The monument was inaugurated on 13 May 1928 and Desruelles wrote that his work was intended to "Flétrir la guerre, chanter la paix" (Stigmatize war, Extol peace). The monument comprises two groups. The first shows "L'humanité en deuil" (humanity in grief). Humanity covers her eyes when faced with the horrors of war; dead soldiers, towns and villages in ruins, etc. whilst the second group placed to the rear portrays an idyllic pastoral life in the mining countryside of the Auchel district after the war. The family of a miner relax in their garden. The father picks fruit from a tree, a youngster has a nap and the mother cares for the baby of the family.Auchel Monuments aux morts pacifistes. Retrieved 5 October 2012The monument aux morts at CommentryCommentry AllierThis features a farmer, meditating whilst leaning on his scythe. Whilst working in a wheat field he has come across the grave of a soldier. The inscription reads- "La ville de Commentry à ses enfants victimes de la guerre" This monument is one of those grouped as "monument aux morts pacifistes". It is located in the rue Christophe Thivrier. There is another Desruelles work in Commentry. This is a bronze bust of Isidore Thivrier and marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of what was the world's first socialist municipality in June 1882 by Isidore's father, Christophe Thivrier.Commentry Petit-patrimoine.com. Retrieved 5 October 2012Commentry website including reference to Thivrier bust. Retrieved 5 October 2012 The monument aux morts at HazebrouckHazebrouck NordIn a small garden near to the parish church at Hazebrouck near Dunkerque, Desruelles' monument aux morts celebrates "Victory" but offers peace. An allegorical depiction of France in female form stands with an olive branch in one hand whilst her other hand rests on a formidable looking broad sword. The monument is dedicated to the men of Hazebrouck who lost their lives in the war. Just near to the monument is a sun-dial which is dedicated to several Hazebrouck citizens who were killed when Hazebrouck suffered from a heavy German artillery bombardment on 13 and 14 December 1917. This caused the loss of 18 people with another 26 people wounded. The dead included some priests who were at prayer in the presbytery nearby and it is recorded that the sun-dial stands on the exact spot where the priests lost their lives. The Hazebrouck monument aux morts was inaugurated on 11 November 1925 by Bishop Lemire and Maréchal Foch. There is a plaque on the wall on which the sun-dial is mounted which records the names of seven of the people who were killed in the bombardment of 13 December 1917.