The towering five-meter-tall roaring lion sculpture by French artist Richard Orlinski will be removed from Place Garibaldi in Nice before the end of November. The massive artwork, which has dominated the historic square since June 2023, is being taken down as its free loan contract expires on November 30.
The city of Nice confirmed that "the artwork benefits from a free loan contract until November 30, and its removal will take place before this date." However, officials have indicated that another work of art will replace the iconic lion sculpture, though details about the replacement remain under wraps. "Concerning the next artwork, we will communicate in due course," the municipality stated.
The giant lion originally arrived in Nice during the summer of 2023 as part of a larger exhibition featuring about ten animal sculptures by Orlinski placed throughout various locations in the city. By late September 2023, only the lion statue remained in place due to a contract extension, while all other pieces from the collection had been removed.
The sculpture's removal has drawn political attention, particularly from Eric Ciotti of the Union of the Right for the Republic, who is running for mayor of Nice. During his campaign activities in Nice's streets in September, the Alpes-Maritimes deputy had promised to get rid of the statue, according to reports from local media outlet Nice Presse.
The presence of Orlinski's works in the Mediterranean city has been mired in controversy and legal investigations over recent years. The relationship between Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi and the sculptor has come under intense scrutiny, particularly after revelations about gifts exchanged between them.
Controversy erupted in March 2024 following a Mediapart article revealing that Mayor Estrosi had received artworks as gifts from Orlinski, who was described as a "friend" of the Estrosi couple. The revelations led to formal complaints and raised questions about potential conflicts of interest in the city's art exhibition decisions.
The situation escalated significantly when, on March 18, 2025, the mayor's offices in Nice were searched as part of a judicial investigation opened in September 2024 by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office. The investigation targets Richard Orlinski on charges of corruption and favoritism, examining the connections between the artist's gifts to city officials and the prominent placement of his works in public spaces.
Despite the legal challenges surrounding the exhibition, the city maintains that a new artwork will take the lion's place on the prestigious square. The departure of Orlinski's final remaining sculpture marks the end of an era for Nice's public art landscape, though it remains unclear what artistic direction the city will pursue next given the ongoing legal proceedings.
