Mezue nkebi ahịrịokwu a: Bartholdi mere ihe nlereanya mbụ nke echiche ya na 1870. Nwa nwoke nke enyi Bartholdi, onye na-ese ihe na United States bụ John LaFarge, mechara kwuo na Bartholdi mere ihe osise mbụ maka ihe oyiyi ahụ n'oge ọ gara US na La Farge's Rhode Island studio. Bartholdi nọgidere na-emepe echiche ahụ mgbe ọ laghachiri France. Ọ rụkwara ọrụ n'ọtụtụ ihe ọkpụkpụ ndị e mere iji wusie mmụọ ịhụ mba n'anya nke ndị France ike mgbe ndị Prussia merisịrị ha. Otu n'ime ndị a bụ "Lion nke Belfort", ihe ọkpụkpụ buru ibu a pịrị apị n'ime nkume aja n'okpuru ebe e wusiri ike nke Belfort, bụ́ nke n'oge agha ahụ guzogidere otu
Ndị Prussia nọchibidoro ya ruo ihe karịrị ọnwa atọ. Ọdụm ahụ na-enupụ isi, nke dị ogologo ma jiri ọkara nke ahụ n'ịdị elu, na-egosipụta àgwà mmetụta uche nke e ji mara Ịhụnanya, nke Bartholdi mesịrị weta n'Ọkpụkpụ nke Nnwere Onwe.