Constellation de la Douleur by Christian Lapie
The Constellation de la Douleur – Constellation of Pain is a set of nine sculptures erected to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Battles of the Chemin des Dames during the Great War. Located near the entrance to the Caverne du Dragon (Dragon’s Lair), these imposing black sculptures, designed by the artist Christian Lapie, pay tribute to the French colonial troops.
It pays homage to the Senegalese Tirailleurs (riflemen) who led the assault on the Dragon’s Cave on April 16, 1917. Lapie initially wanted to title his work Traverser la Douleur (Crossing Pain), but ultimately opted for the title Constellation de la Douleur after learning of the existence of a celestial formation known as the Draco Constellation (Dragon’s Constellation).
According to Christian Lapie: “Ces étoiles étaient comme une présence permanente, un écho dans le ciel de la douleur de ces gens qui ne sont plus là.” – ” These stars were like a permanent presence, an echo in the sky of the pain of these people who are no longer here“.
The Constellation de la Douleur statues are six metres high and are carved from oak wood covered with a dark layer of black tar. Devoid of facial features, limbs, age, or gender, they embody a timeless and asexual presence. Like sentinels, they watch over the souls of those who perished on this slope during the First World War, and invite visitors to reflect on the profound impact of the conflict and the loss.
Christian Lapie said: “L’hommage aux Tirailleurs Sénégalais est une tribu de sentinelles placides et immuables. Elles sont si présentes qu’il semble qu’elles ont toujours été là, qu’elles font partie du paysage, de son histoire.” – “The tribute to the Senegalese Rifflemen is a tribe of placid and unchanging sentinels. They are so present that it seems they have always been there, that they are part of the landscape, of its history.”
Constellation de la Douleur – Memorial to the French Colonial Troops
Indeed, on April 16, 1917, 15,000 Senegalese riflemen, part of the French Colonial troops, who were positioned in the trenches below the Dragon’s Lair, launched a heroic assault under torrential rain, snow, and heavy German machine-gun fire.
They advanced with unwavering determination towards the quarry’s entrance; 1,400 perished under enemy fire!
On September 22, 2007, the President of the Aisne General Council inaugurated the Constellation de la Douleur Memorial, dedicating it to the memory of the fallen and assuring them that their sacrifice would never be forgotten.
The Chemin des Dames Museum stands near the Drago’s Lair entrance and the memorial statues, and recounts in detail the unfolding of this attack, which resulted in a tragic French failure and an astronomical loss of human lives.
Aisne department – Caverne du Dragon – Oulches-la-Vallée-Foulon – Picardie region
Coordinates: Lat 49.441744 – Long 3.731170
