"The Statue of Liberty" of Auguste Bartholdi installed in New York is undoubtedly the most famous statue on the planet. To achieve this colossal work, the sculptor made several intermediate statues, the most famous of which is the one exhibited at the Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris. The Statue of Liberty in New York was a gift from France to celebrate the independence of the United States and to seal the Franco-American friendship. What role did the museum statue on display in Paris play in the development of the Statue of Liberty in New York? How did this pharaonic project come about? Was it a gift or a burden?