Catalogue of Polish monuments related to Fryderyk Chopin

Tombstone monument
Chopin's tombstone in the Père-Lachaise cemetery in 1850, the work of Jean-Baptiste Clésinger, depicts the muse Euterpe leaning over a broken lyre. It is a place of pilgrimage for music lovers from all over the world. It underwent a major restoration in 2017-2018.

List of monuments to Frederic Chopin

Europe
Austria
Vienna
The monument to Frédéric Chopin in Vienna, entitled 'La note bleue', refers to the metaphorical 'blue note' that Frédéric Chopin's partner George Sand perceived in his music. The author of the monument is the sculptor Krzysztof M. Bednarski, whose design won the competition organised by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute. The monument was unveiled in the Schweizergarten park in 2010 to mark the 200th anniversary of the composer's birth.

Albania
Tirana
In November 2003, a statue of Fryderyk Chopin was unveiled in Tirana. Its author is the Polish sculptor Andrzej Renes, author of the Warsaw monuments to Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński and Katyński, among others. At the end of the 1980s, the artist prepared three cycles of sculptures dedicated to Chopin - the first being representations of his family, the second being 'Impressions' , which are inspired by particular works by the composer, and 'Portraits'. The bust from the monument in Tirana belongs to this series. The sculpture is made of bronze - a figural representation - and copper - a geometric, prism-shaped form that forms the background. The pedestal originally bore the inscription FREDERIK SCHOPEN / 1810-1849 //.

Bohemia
Marianske Lazne
The statue of Frederic Chopin by Karl Otáhal from 1960 is located in the town park. It features a bas-relief medallion with an image of Chopin and an inscription in Czech and Polish commemorating the composer's stay in Mariánské Lázně.

Olešnice v Orlických horách (Orlica peak)
. A monument commemorating the stay of Fryderyk Chopin on Orlica. Orlica is a mountain on the Polish-Czech border, but its summit, on which the monument is located, is on the Czech side. The monument is made of smooth stone, in the form of a truncated cone, with an inscription in Czech.

Bogumin
Monument to Frederic Chopin from 1962. A boulder-shaped monument (sandstone), with a metal plaque in front with Chopin's head shown in profile, facing left, and an inscription below. Beneath the plaque, a second plaque of black magmatic rock (diorite?) with an engraved inscription in gold-filled letters.

France
Paris
The statue of Frédéric Chopin in the park of Monceau, unveiled in 1906 by Jacques Froment-Meurice, depicts the composer at the piano accompanied by allegorical figures of Harmony and Music.

Monument to Frédéric Chopin in the Luxembourg Gardens
Date of creation: 1899 (bust), 1999 (second version of bust)
Date of inauguration: 17 October 1900
Materials: bronze
Creator: Georges Dubois (Paris) bust 1900, Bolesław Syrewicz, bust 1999
Architect: Petit Eugène (1809-1883) and Jaboeuf et Rouard
Inscriptions:
at the top of the stele: "A / FREDERIC CHOPIN / 1810-1849"
at the bottom: "GEORGES DUBOIS / SCULPTOR / EUG. / SMALL ARCH. / 1900"
based on: "PAREU / TO HIS TEACHING / I DEDICATE THIS WORK / G. DUBOIS / 1900"
on the right: "JABOEUF ET CIE FONDEURS"
History:
1895 - Committee formed to erect a monument to mark the 50th anniversary of Frédéric Chopin's birth. A subscription was launched. It was planned to place an order with the Froment-Meurice firm, but due to limited funds, the Dubois design was chosen and implemented. Supporters of the Froment-Meurice design succeeded in erecting another monument in the park of Monceau in 1906.
17 October 1900 - inauguration of the bust in the Luxembourg Gardens.
12 February 1942 - Chopin's statue was included on the list of works to be processed for war purposes.
20 March 1942 - the bust was removed from the Luxembourg Gardens, the plinth remained. In its place, the Polish government presented the Senate with a replica of the bronze monument from 1872, made by Bolesław Syrewicz.
22 February 1999 - inauguration of a new bronze replica (dating from 1998) to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of Fryderyk Chopin.
Location: Luxembourg Gardens, Paris
. Description: The bust is placed on a high pedestal with a female figure in relief and an inscription commemorating the composer. The initiators of the monument were the musicians F.-Henry Peru and Jules Massenet, and the executor was Georges Dubois. The base of the bust bears Dubois' dedication to his pupil. The Art Nouveau stylised plinth blends harmoniously with the surroundings of the Luxembourg Gardens. The monument has gone through a turbulent history. In 1942, the bust was removed by the German occupiers to be melted down for war purposes. A new bust based on a sculpture by Bolesław Syrewicz located in Warsaw was made in 1999 to mark the 150th anniversary of Chopin's death. The general resemblance of the sculptures is due not only to a similar convention, but also to inspiration from a bas-relief of Chopin by Antoine Bovy.

Nohant-Vic
Location: vicinity of Place Saint-Anne
More about the monument

Spain
Valldemossa
Unveiled in 1999, this monument by Polish sculptor Zofia Wolska depicts a bust of Chopin. It is located in the courtyard of the monastery.

Palm tree
The monument to Frederic Chopin is located in Palma, Majorca. The sculpture depicting the composer's head is placed on a pedestal with an inscription in Spanish, near the square bearing his name.

Germany
Munich
To mark the 200th anniversary of the composer's birth, a monument to him by the Polish sculptor Jozef Nowak (b. 1962) was unveiled in Poets Park. The monument was created thanks to the commitment and funding of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Halina and Mirosław Pieńkowski.

Portugal
Lisbon
The bust of Fryderyk Chopin in Lisbon is located on Avenida da Liberdade. It was made of black stone and placed on a contrasting light-coloured pedestal. Like the implementation in Budapest, it is a contemporary casting of a sculpture by Syrevich.

Russia

Königsberg, sculpture park on Immanuel Kant Island, sculpture by Yekaterina Belashova-Alekseyeva, 1968 (another version of this sculpture made in marble)

Königsberg, monument to Frederic Chopin, in the park at the intersection of Komunalna and Stepan Razin, 2010, gift of the Polish government

Moscow, Park of Art "Muzeon"
. Bust of Frederic Chopin by Ilya Tenet (Илья Тенета), 1964, bronze

Romania
Bucharest, Herăstrău Park
Bust of Frederic Chopin by Lelia Zuaf, A. Ostrop, 1956, bronze.

Slovenia
Ljubljana
In 2014, a bronze bust of Frédéric Chopin was ceremonially unveiled at the entrance to the Chopin Passage located under the Congress Square in Ljubljana. This monument, a tribute to the eminent Polish composer, was donated to Slovenia by the Republic of Poland as part of the celebrations of the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth. The author is the Polish sculptor and long-time head of the Department of Conservation of Stone Sculpture at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts, Professor Adam Roman (1916-2013). He is also the creator of two other busts of Chopin, which are located in Tokyo and Königsberg. To the memory of the piano genius, the International Chopin Piano Competition for the Golden Ring, aimed at young pianists, is held in Slovenia every year.

Hungary
Budapest
The Frederic Chopin Monument in Gödöllő by Ede Margó from 1929 depicts Chopin at the piano with allegorical figures of a woman and a man. It is located in front of the music school named after him.

Chopin Monument in Tchaikovsky Park - a 1961 limestone sculpture by János Konyorscik placed in a park dedicated to outstanding composers.

The 2011 Horváth-kert monument is located in the Krisztinaváros district, where the Ede Margó monument was originally intended to stand. It is a replica of an 1899 bust of the composer by Bolesław Syrewicz, identical to the one placed in the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris.

United Kingdom
Manchester
The statue of Fryderyk Chopin unveiled in 2011 by Robert Sobociński depicts the composer with his muse, Jane Stirling. It is the largest monument to Chopin outside of Poland, and is a reminder of his visit to Manchester in 1848. In 1848, fearing revolutionary turmoil, Frédéric Chopin left France and travelled to England and Scotland, where he tried to earn a living by giving lessons and concerts. The last year of the composer's life, however, was already dominated by illness. As he recalls in one of his letters, he was even said to have suffered hallucinations caused by exhaustion during a concert in Manchester.

North America
Costa Rica
San José
The statue of Frederic Chopin in the form of a head on a pedestal of dark stone, funded by the Polish community and the Polish Embassy, highlights the presence of Polish culture in Central America.

Cuba
Havana
Sculpture, designed by Adam Myjak. Fryderyk Chopin, sitting on a bench, looks to the side, as if listening to his own music, and his hands - particularly the long fingers of his right hand - are spread out in a gesture that seems to capture the moment of the birth of a melody, in statu nascendi. It is a gesture that invites reflection on the composer's genius, captured in the moment of creation.

Adam Myjak, the author of this sculpture, is a professor of art and long-time rector of the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts, and his monumental, dramatic works can be found all over the world. In this case, the quiet, pensive Chopin in Havana seems to be an exception to Myjak's expressive style, but at the same time it fits harmoniously into the context of the historic surroundings of Plaza de San Francisco.

Mexico
Guadalajara
The 1964 statue of Frederic Chopin by Ludwika Nitschowa is located in the university district of Guadalajara. It is made of bronze and is 2.2 metres high. It was unveiled in December 1964. In Guadalajara there is another statue of Chopin made by the artist in 1973.

United States
Buffalo
Monument to Frederic Chopin in Buffalo, located at the south end of Symphony Circle. It is a classical bust of the composer, placed on a rectangular column with a wider base. The commemoration of Chopin in Buffalo is due to the activities of the Chopin Singing Society. Made by Polish-American artist Joseph Mazur, the bust was unveiled on 7 June 1925 in Humboldt Park. It was later moved to the lawn in front of Kleinhans Music Hall, opposite Symphony Circle.

Cleveland
The Polish Cultural Garden in Cleveland, Ohio, located on the corner of St. Clair and East Boulevard, was dedicated in 1934. Its focal point is an octagonal fountain, surrounded by sculptures depicting prominent figures of Polish history and culture, including Fryderyk Chopin. The garden is part of Cleveland's series of international gardens, celebrating the city's diverse ethnic heritages.

The fountain at the centre of the garden, described by Cleveland Historical, is decorated with allegorical figures symbolising music, literature, science and astronomy. It has decorative elements such as leaping fish and carved turtles along the base. It was dedicated to the poet Jan Kochanowski's daughter, inspired by a series of elegies written after her death. The monument was created thanks to donations from schoolchildren and was completed in 1953.

Surrounding the fountain are seven busts depicting prominent figures of Polish heritage. The busts, made of white marble or bronze, are set on rectangular columns of red marble or granite. They were consecrated between 1947 and 1966. Among those commemorated are the composer Frederic Chopin, the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, the physicist and chemist Maria Skłodowska-Curie and the composer and politician Ignacy Jan Paderewski.
The bust of Frederic Chopin depicts the young composer in elegant dress, with full cheeks and a confident look, ready to embark on his international career.

South America
Argentina
Buenos Aires
In 1944, a monument to Frederic Chopin was unveiled in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. This monument was probably initiated by Polish emigrants who found refuge in South America during the Second World War. One such figure was Grzegorz Fitelberg (1879-1953), a Polish composer and conductor who stayed in Buenos Aires from 1940 to 1941, where he worked as a conductor at the Teatro Colón before moving to the United States.
The bust of Chopin, located in Parque Chacabuco on the corner of Avenida Asamblea and Emilio Mitre, is one of many monuments in Buenos Aires dedicated to prominent figures of European culture. The name 'Chopin' is engraved on the monument, and the sculpture itself depicts an elegant man in evening dress with a bow tie and neatly combed hair. However, the figure's appearance, it has been noted, could just as well represent other composers such as Schumann or Brahms, suggesting that the sculptor was not modelled on any known portrait of Chopin.
The condition of the monument has deteriorated in recent years, with graffiti covering the base and climbing up the sculpture. It is a symbol of Poland's musical heritage in South America which, although in need of conservation, remains an important reference point for the local Polish community.

Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
A bronze monument on a granite pedestal - a 1944 work by August Zamoyski - depicts Chopin on the seashore, listening to the waves. It is located in Praça General Tiburcio (on the bay of Praia Vermelha). The statue was posed for by the tandar Jerzy Szabelewski. On the pedestal the inscription: CHOPIN

Porto Alegre
In 1963, Fernando Corona created a monument to Frederic Chopin in Porto Alegre, in southern Brazil. The ceremonial unveiling of the monument took place on 15 November of the same year. Porto Alegre, capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, is located in the southernmost part of Brazil.
The sculpture depicts a portrait of Frédéric Chopin, set on a simple square column of granite. The monument bears an inscription commemorating the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth: 1810-1960.Chopin's figure is recognisable by his distinctive hairstyle and long hair, but the sculpture's face is not based on any of the well-known portraits. The expression of sadness on the composer's face in the sculpture reflects Chopin's typical melancholy, which often appears in his images.

Venezuela
La Asunción
Monument to Frédéric Chopin located on the main promenade of the island's capital Margarita, the monument highlights the universality of Chopin's music and its influence on different cultures.

Asia
China
Shanghai
Frederic Chopin Monument
The bronze, Polish copper monument was made in Gliwice to a design by is Lu Pin to commemorate and promote Chopin's work in China. The Chinese appreciate Chopin's work and often attend the International Piano Competition. It is the second monument in Shanghai dedicated to a foreigner, which demonstrates its unique significance. The plaque on the monument is written only in Polish and Chinese, which further emphasises its international character and importance in the context of Polish-Chinese relations.

Japan
Hamamatsu
In the Japanese city of Hamamatsu, known for its instrument manufacturing companies and music competitions and festivals, among other things, there is a statue of Frederic Chopin. The work is a gift from the city of Warsaw, commemorating an agreement on friendly cooperation and cultural exchange. The monument is a copy of the famous sculpture by Waclaw Szymanowski, located in Warsaw's Lazienki Park. The work, which was donated to Hamamatsu, was created in 1990 by Marian Konieczny.

South Korea
Seoul
The Chopin monument in Namsan Park depicts the composer at the piano. It is a symbol of Polish-Korean friendship and a venue for events promoting his music.

Singapore
The Fryderyk Chopin Monument in the Botanic Gardens. The Karol Badyna monument, unveiled in 2008, commemorates the composer at the UNESCO-listed site. It is a gift from the Polish community and a symbol of international recognition for Chopin.

Vietnam
Bà Nà Hills
Bà Nà Hills is a resort town founded by French colonists in 1919. It serves as an amusement park with numerous hotels and attractions. Among them, you will come across a bust of Frédéric Chopin, commemorating the eminent Polish composer. Not very faithful to reality, the sculptural portrait has been placed on a pedestal to which a plaque with an inscription has been attached. The text, in Vietnamese and English, reminds us of the innovation Chopin showed in the ballads he wrote.

Australia and Oceania
Australia
Canberra
The statue of Frederic Chopin in the Park of Nations unveiled in 2011 in Australia's capital commemorates the 200th anniversary of the composer's birth and highlights his influence on classical music on the continent.

Plaques commemorating Fryderyk Chopin around the world

Europe
Austria
On the pedestrian and shopping street Kohlmarkt 9, the perspective of which is closed by the Hofburg residence, is the house where Frederic Chopin lived between 1830 and 1831. This was the third place in Vienna where the composer stayed. He first lived in the inn 'Zur Stadt London' (London City) and 'Zum Goldenen Lamm' (Under the Golden Lamb), and then in the house at Kohlmarkt 9. There is a plaque commemorating Chopin's stay in the Austrian capital.

Czech Republic
Prague
The plaque is located on the site of the 'Black Horse' hotel in Prague, where Chopin stayed in 1829 and 1830. Made by Maria Durasova in 1961, it recalls the composer's visits to the Czech capital.

Plaque commemorating Chopin's stay in Mariánské Lázně
. in the boarding house "Under the White Swan" (now the Chopin House), where the composer spent time in 1836. They are located in a place that later became an important centre of his memory, hosting annual Chopin festivals.

Plaque on the Chopin School in Mariánské Lázně unveiled in 1978.

Karlovy Vary
A marble plaque with a bas-relief and inscription commemorates Chopin's stay in 1835. It is located in the spa forest by the "Chopin trail". It was created on the initiative of Polish emigrants and was made by Antoni Popiel.

France
In Paris, there are plaques on four of the nine places where Chopin lived:
. 27 Boulevard Poissonnière - plaque with an engraved inscription (letters filled in with gold paint) FREDERIC CHOPIN / HABITA CETTE MAISON / 1831-1832 //.

Rue Pigalle 16 - plaque with engraved inscription - Ici s'élevaient / les pavillons qu'habitaient / George SAND & Frédéric CHOPIN / de 1839 à 1842
Square d'Orleans 9 - plaque with engraved inscription: FREDERIC CHOPIN / HABITA CETTE MAISON / 1831-1832 //.

Place Vendôme 12 - plaque with engraved inscription: "Frederic Francois Chopin / ne a Zelazowa-Wola (Pologne)/ le 22 fevrier 1810 / est mort dans cette maison / le 17 octobre 1849"

Spain
Plaque commemorating Chopin's stay in Majorca
Unveiled in 2010 in Palma, it commemorates the winter stay of Chopin and Sand between 1838 and 1839. The plaque commemorating Frederic Chopin's stay in Mallorca was unveiled in 2010, on the 200th anniversary of his birth. It is located on Carrer de la Mar street in Palma.

United Kingdom
London
The place where Chopin gave his last concert in 1848.

Painting portraits

Eugène Delacroix, 'Portrait of Frédéric Chopin'
Date: 1838-1839
Technique: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 46 × 38 cm
Location: Musée du Louvre, Paris
Description: One of the most famous portraits of Chopin, originally part of a larger composition depicting Fryderyk Chopin and George Sand. The circumstances of the painting's creation are not fully known. After Delacroix's death, the canvas was in his studio and then passed to the Duttileux family. In the second half of the 19th century, the work was split into two separate portraits - of Chopin and Sand. The portrait of Chopin depicts him in three-quarter length, in modest, dark clothing, against a dark background. Visible brush marks suggest that the painting remained unfinished. In 1907, the painting was donated to the Louvre by Antonin Marmontel, son of the pianist Antoine François Marmontel.
History: there is also a sketch by Delacroix in the Louvre's collection, which shows that Chopin was initially seated on the right at the piano, while Sand crocheted on the left, listening to him play.

Andrew Carrick Gow, 'A Musical Story by Chopin'
Date: 1879
Technique: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 69.8 × 90.2 cm (with frame: 104.5 × 125.3 × 13.3 cm)
Inventory number: N01529
Location: Tate Britain, London
Description: painting depicting a young Frederic Chopin surrounded by his peers. It was discovered in the Tate Britain storerooms in 2023, after more than 129 years without being exhibited. It is a unique work as most known portraits of Chopin show him as an adult. This rare childhood painting gives an insight into an unknown side of the composer's life. Painted after his death, the work is an artistic interpretation of his youth.

Ary Scheffer, 'Portrait of Frédéric Chopin'
Date: 1847
Technique: oil on canvas
Location: Musée Carnavalet, Paris
Description: The portrait depicts Chopin in elegant dress, with a delicate, subtle expression on his face. Scheffer, being a close acquaintance of Chopin, captured his personality in a unique way. The portrait reflects both the composer's physical features and his inner sensitivity.

Portraits in the Valldemossa Museum
Compiled after Bożena Schmid-Adamczyk

Louis Gallait, 'Portrait of Frédéric Chopin'
Date: 1843
Technique: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 48.5 x 35.5 cm
Signature: "Louis Gallait 1843"
Provenance: Gand Bishop Collection
History: auctioned twice in 2019 and 2024.

"Portrait of Frédéric Chopin"
Date: late 19th century
Technique: gouache on ivory
Dimensions: 6.5 x 5 cm
Signature: "Böhringer"
Collection: private
Hstory: sold at auction in 2019.

Luigi Calamatta, 'Portrait of Frédéric Chopin'
Date: circa 1840
Technique: pencil drawing
Dimensions: 29.2 cm × 28.4 cm
Inventory number: I/12

Albert Colfs, 'Portrait of Frédéric Chopin'
Date: 1961
Technique: crayon, pastels
Size: 24 cm × 18.3 cm (in passe-partout)
Signature: A. Colfs d'après A. Graefle
History: on the back of the frame a dedication to Anne-Marie Boutroux de Ferrà, inventory number I/24.

Teofil Kwiatkowski, 'Portrait of Frédéric Chopin'
Date: 1849
Technique: pen, sepia, ink, pencil
Dimensions: 27.8 cm × 22 cm
Signature: annotated 1851 and dedicated "à Madame Dulong"
Inventory number: I/4

Teofil Kwiatkowski, 'Chopin on his deathbed'
Date: 1849
Technique: pencil
Dimensions: 11.1 cm × 15 cm (drawing alone), 27.8 cm × 32.3 cm (passe-partout)
Signature: 'Chopin on his deathbed / for Chopin's friend Mr Pleyel'
Inventory number: I/10

Jean-Joseph-Bonaventure Laurens, 'Chopin playing the piano'
Date: no date
Technique: pencil
Dimensions: 8.8 cm × 7.3 cm (sketch alone), 11.5 cm × 18.1 cm (whole)
Inventory number: I/8
Description: copy of a drawing by January Suchodolski, circa 1844, a card from the artist's album.

Ary Scheffer [?], 'Portrait of Frédéric Chopin'
Date: ca. 1847
Technique: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 70.3 cm × 54.2 cm
Inventory number: I/9

Pierre Roche Vigneron, 'Portrait of Frédéric Chopin'
Date: 1833
Technique: lithograph
Dimensions: 19 cm × 26 cm
Inventory number: Im/84
Description: lithograph from the "Album des pianistes" published by M. Schlesinger, made in the atelier of Gottfried Engelmann.

Unknown painter, 'Portrait of Frédéric Chopin'
Date: 1840s
Technique: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 48.5 cm × 37.8 cm
Inventory number: I/13

Drawings by Eugène Delacroix with likenesses of Frédéric Chopin
Joint drawing by George Sand and Frederic Chopin
Technique: pencil
Year: 1840
Location: Louvre, Paris
Description: Drawing showing profiles of Sand and Fryderyk Chopin, made by Delacroix during one of his meetings with Chopin and Sand. The drawing, known from the reproduction, comes from the album Sand.

Study of a bust of Fryderyk Chopin
. Technique: pencil with white crayon
Year: 1838
Location: unknown
Description: One of three sketches by Delacroix prepared as studies for the famous double portrait of Chopin and George Sand. It depicts a bust of the composer, executed in pencil with touches of white crayon.

Study of a bust of Fryderyk Chopin (replica?)
. Technique: pencil
Year: 1838
Location: unknown
Description: replica or alternative version of the previous sketch. In it Delacroix captured the subtle features of Chopin's face, emphasising the composer's melancholic nature.

Caricature of Frederic Chopin's face
Technique: Pencil
Year: 1840
Location: Sand's album
Description: caricatured representation of Chopin by Delacroix in Sand's private album. This is a less formal and more intimate version of Delacroix's artistic relationship with Chopin.

Profile sketch of Frédéric Chopin à la Dante
Technique: pencil
Year: 1843-1846 (or 1849)
Location: Louvre, Paris
Description: sketch showing Frédéric Chopin in profile, stylised as Dante, with a laurel wreath on his head. Delacroix saw Chopin as a genius and this drawing is a touching tribute to his friend.

Rebus 'Cher Chopin'
Technique: pencil
Year: 1843-1846 (or 1849)
Location: unknown
Description: drawing with the dedication 'Cher Chopin', representing a touching tribute to the artist. Delacroix made this sketch as part of his artistic reflection on Chopin's work, showing him in artistic glory.

'Portrait de Chopin en Dante'
Technique: pencil
Year: 1763-1863
Location: Louvre, Paris
Dimensions: 29 cm x 24 cm
Description: drawing depicting Frédéric Chopin in the stylisation of Dante, executed in black pencil on paper. It is held in the Louvre collection (inventory number RF20). Known from the catalogue of an exhibition in Brussels in 1949 (n°147).

Sculptures and medals
Antoine Bovy, Medallions of Frédéric Chopin
Date: 1837 and 1847
Technique: bas-relief, medallion
Description: Antoine Bovy, Swiss medallion maker, is the author of two relief medallion portraits of Fryderyk Chopin. The first medallion was created in 1837 and the second in 1847. These classical images of the composer convey his elegance and solemnity.
Location: private collections

Jean-Pierre Dantan, bust of Chopin
Date: 1841
Technique: full-plastic sculpture, bronze and plaster casts (the bronze cast of the sculpture is in Warsaw, owner: Towarzystwo imienia Fryderyka Chopina
Location: Musée Carnavalet in Paris (plaster cast) ( see photograph of sculpture ), bronze cast is in Valldemossa (Museum Celda de Frédéric Chopin y George Sand)

Ludwika Nitschowa, Figure of Frédéric Chopin,
. Date: 1973
Technique: full-plastic sculpture, bronze
Location: Royal North Academy of Music, Manchester
Dimensions: height approx. 250 cm

Portrait medallion of Frédéric Chopin
Date: 1899
Technique: medallion
Inventory number: NPG D7200
Location: National Portrait Gallery, London
Description: portrait medallion depicting Frederic Chopin, made in 1899. It is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London. It is one of many medallions commemorating prominent cultural figures.

Bust of Frederic Chopin
Date: no date
Location: Palace of William Hop, Paris
Technique: sculpture, bust
Description: The bust of Fryderyk Chopin is located in the drawing room of the William Hop Palace, where Chopin performed his famous New Year's concert on the night of 29-30 December 1832. This sculpture commemorates one of the important events in the composer's life, and the location of the sculpture adds historical context.

Richard Füredi, 'Polonaise'
Date: 1866
Technique: sculpture
Location: Vigadó Concert Hall, Budapest
Description: sculpture commemorating Chopin's Polonaise concerts, which were performed by Franz Liszt. Established in 1866 in the Vigadó Concert Hall in Budapest, the sculpture pays tribute to Chopin's work and its influence on other prominent musicians of the era.

Viktor Dament, sculpture of Frederic Chopin
Date: 1895-1964
Technique: bronze, marble, terracotta
Dimensions: 44 × 32 × 28 cm
Location: Maison Communale, Saint-Gilles
Description: this realistic sculpture of Frederic Chopin, by Victor Dament, captures the composer's introspection and nobility. Dament was a renowned sculptor and medallist who sought to capture the essence of historical figures in his art. Many of his works, including portraits of Chopin, are in private collections and the sculpture is kept at the Maison Communale in Saint-Gilles.

Ksawery Dunikowski, Portrait of Fryderyk Chopin
Location: Building of the Academy of Music, Budapest

Szigfrid Pongracz, Bust of Frédéric Chopin
Date: unknown
Technique: sculpture, bust
Location: Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest

Selected Chopin memorabilia in museum collections

Chopin's first 'museum' was set up by Jane Wilhelmina Stirling, who bought most of his memorabilia after his death. It was housed in Calder House. In 1859, the collection was transferred after Jane's death to Warsaw.

Musée de la Vie Romantique, Paris
Location: 16 rue Chaptal, Paris
Selected exhibits:
Cast of Frederic Chopin's hand
Chopin monument project
Souvenirs of George Sand
Description: The Musée de la Vie Romantique is a unique museum in Paris that houses memorabilia related to Romanticism, including those of Frédéric Chopin and George Sand. Visitors can admire a cast of the composer's hand and the design of his monument, as well as exhibits relating to George Sand, his life companion.

Musée de la Musique, Paris
Location: Paris
Selected exhibits:
Pleyel piano played by Frédéric Chopin
Daguerreotype photograph
Caricature showing Chopin and George Sand
Description: The Musée de la Musique in Paris is the place where you can admire the Pleyel piano on which Chopin played. The museum's collection also includes a daguerreotype with his image and a caricature depicting both the composer and George Sand.

Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris
. Location: Paris
Selected exhibits:
Musical manuscripts of Frédéric Chopin
First editions of his works
Chopin's death mask
Description: The Bibliothèque Nationale de France holds valuable collections relating to Fryderyk Chopin, including his musical manuscripts, first editions of his compositions and the composer's death mask. These exhibits are an important source of knowledge about the life and work of one of the most outstanding composers of Romanticism.

Rapperswil Museum
The museum houses Fryderyk Chopin's death mask, which is a chiselled bronze casting made according to the original by Jean Baptiste Clésinger. Shortly after the composer's death in 1849, Clésinger removed two facial moulds, the first of which was used to make the mask, which the artist kept for himself. The second form was used to create a delicately retouched mask that idealised the facial features distorted by death.

Teplice Regional Museum
The piano on which Chopin played on 25 August 1829 during a concert at the castle of the princely family of Clary-Aldringen.

Museums and memorial halls
Chopin Museum in Valldemossa
The museum is located in the former cell of the Carthusian monastery where Chopin and George Sand stayed during the winter of 1838-1839. The exhibition contains memorabilia including manuscripts, the piano Chopin used and documents describing his stay on the island. It is an important place for lovers of his music and the history of Romantic literature.

Chopin Salon at the Polish Library in Paris
. Here you can find Chopin's armchair, a medallion with a strand of his hair, a Pleyel piano, a death mask and hand casts.

The Fryderyk Chopin Museum in Mariánské Lázně
. Housed in the former guesthouse "Under the White Swan", where Chopin lived in 1836, the museum displays a rich collection of memorabilia, including a posthumous mask and a cast of the composer's hand. It is also the venue of the annual Chopin festivals, bringing together artists and lovers of his music from all over the world.

Other forms of commemoration
A mural in Zagreb painted in 2020 by Boris Bare, is located in the Dežmanov Prolaz passage. It is funded by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Zagreb. Boris Bare is a Croatian street art artist and the author of numerous murals in Croatia. About his work he said: "Since the location itself is in the charming Dežmanov Prolaz passageway, I came up with the idea that the background should be striped like old wallpaper and the central part of the mural should be dominated by a framed painting with a silhouette of Chopin containing a piano. The painting is thus a description of his life. In the lower part, I placed plants so that the whole wall gives the impression of a living room, which blends in perfectly with the street itself" (after Polonijna Agencja Informacyjna). Area 300 m ²

An interactive bench installed in 2010 at Freedom Square in Tallinn. It allows you to listen to excerpts from Chopin's works and contains engraved inscriptions in Polish and Estonian. It was created on the initiative of the Polish Embassy in Tallinn.

In 2023, a 'smart bench' was set up in Budapest, which not only measures temperature and air pollution, but also allows you to listen to excerpts from works by Chopin and Liszt.

Places where Chopin lived in Paris
27 Boulevard Poissonnière - Chopin lived on the 5th floor in a two-room flat from late September 1831 to June 1832. The view stretched from Montmartre to the Pantheon (1831-1832).

Hotel Cité Bergère 4 - Chopin moved to the first floor of a small boarding house in December 1832 and lived there until June 1833 (1832-1833).

5 Rue Chaussée d'Antin (Hôtel d'Epinay, now defunct) - Chopin lived here from June 1833 to September 1836, first with Dr Alexandre Hoffmann, then with Jan Matuszyñski (1833-1836).

38 Rue Chaussée d'Antin - Chopin lived there from September 1836 to September 1839, in a two-room flat, where he organised musical evenings (1836-1839).

Rue Tronchet 5 - after his return from Majorca and Nohant, Chopin lived on the first floor from October 1839 to November 1841 (1839-1841).

Rue Pigalle 16 - Chopin occupied one of the pavilions rented by George Sand; they lived there from November 1841 to 1842, when they moved to the Square d'Orléans (1841-1842).

2 Rue de Chaillo (non-existent). Chopin lived at this address for about 2 months (1849)

. Square d'Orléans 9 - Chopin rented the ground floor of the house, where he lived from the autumn of 1842 to 1849, with an interruption for a stay in England in 1848. He died in this flat on 17 October at around 2 a.m. (1842-1849).

74 Rue de Chaillot (now non-existent) - in June 1849, Chopin moved to a flat on the second floor of 74 Rue de Chaillot (on the site of the Prince de Gallesie Hotel (Av. George Vnumer 33). The present course of the Rue de Chaillot does not correspond to its mid-nineteenth-century location and ends at number 40, while the former section of the street where Chopin lived is now called Rue Bauchart (June-September 1849).

Place Vendôme 12 - Chopin's last flat, where he lived at the end of September 1849 with his sister Ludwika and where he died on 17 October 1849 (1849).

Chopin's other Parisian 'addresses'
. Hôtel Cromot-du-Bourg (First Pleyel Salons)
Rue Cadet 9
Here Chopin gave his first public concert on 26 February 1832. This was also the venue for his last concert in Paris on 16 February 1848.

The former Conservatoire
Rue du Conservatoire 2
The centre of musical life in Paris, where Chopin gave several concerts.

Salle Le Peletier (former Opera House)
The former Paris Opera House, where important cultural events were held, including Chopin concerts.

Salons Pleyel
Rue de Rochechouart 22
One of the places where Chopin regularly gave concerts.

Hôtel Lambert
Rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Isle 2 (or quai d'Anjou 1-3)

Washington Opera Hotel,
At the end of July 1832, the first banquet of Polish émigrés was held, attended by Chopin among others.

Madeleine Church
Place de la Madeleine
The site of Frédéric Chopin's funeral on 30 October 1849, attended by around 3,000 people.

The Hôtel Chopin is located in the Passage Jouffroy. It was given its name in 1970, but is one of the older hotels in Paris. According to unconfirmed legend, he met Georges Sand here, and the passage was a place he was said to have often passed through when going to the Pleyel salon.