To celebrate its 80th anniversary, The Little Prince makes its New York homecoming! [fr]
A statue of The Little Prince, the character from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s eponymous work, was inaugurated in New York on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, by the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna, in the presence of the French Ambassador to the United States, Laurent Bili. Olivier d’Agay, the great-nephew of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, was also present for this tribute.
See more photos of the event on Flickr
The statue of The Little Prince is located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, in front of the Villa Albertine (the cultural services of the Embassy of France in the United States). It symbolizes the shared history between the United States and France. Indeed, it was in New York, where Saint-Exupéry had sought refuge during World War II, that he wrote The Little Prince. This philosophical tale was first published in the United States in 1943 and later, posthumously, in France in 1946. Today, it has become the most translated literary work of all time.
The statue was sponsored by the American Society of Le Souvenir Français. It was created by the French sculptor Jean-Marc de Pas, in his workshop in Normandy. It is a bronze work, one meter and twenty high. The Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation and the post’s services supported this achievement, which was made possible by generous Franco-American donors.
"Eighty years after the publication of this timeless classic, we are delighted to welcome The Little Prince to Villa Albertine, where thousands of visitors come each month to attend literary events and browse the shelves of Albertine bookstore. Upon their arrival, they will be greeted by this monument dedicated to cultural exchange, creativity, and exploration—values that underpin everything we do. The French Embassy constantly strives to highlight remarkable stories like this one, celebrating the close societal and cultural ties between France and the United States." - Laurent Bili, Ambassador of France to the United States.
To learn more about the celebration of The Little Prince’s 80th anniversary, visit the Media Library of the French Embassy in the United States.
And to learn more about French-American history in New York, the Consulate offers, on its collaborative Mapstr map, a presentation of the places, monuments, and works of art in its jurisdiction that are connected to the historical ties between the United States and France.