A striking larger-than-life statue of Toussaint Louverture (1743–1803) presents the Haitian leader of his nation’s independence movement as a thoughtful political leader rather than as a military hero. The bronze statue by Senegalese sculptor Ousmane Sow (1936–2016) is likely one of the few pieces of sculpture in Europe created by an African artist. By portraying Louverture in a blue jacket, white pants, and a red sash, Sow presents the leader as the Frenchman that he always saw himself to be. In an era in which the removal of statues excites…
