Pierre-Paul Royer-Collard (1763-1845) was born at Sompuis, near Vitry-le-Francois  in the Department of the Marne, son of farmers of modest means. he became an advocate in the Parlement de Paris in 1787, and participated in the early events of the Revolution in 1789. However, his moderate views forced him to flee Paris during the Terror, and during the First Empire he redirected his energies into philosophy, and was responsible for disseminating the ideas of the Scottish School of philosophers at the Sorbonne. During the Bourbon Restoration, he returned to politics and became President of the Chamber of Deputies in 1828. Already a believer in Constitutional Monarchy, he became an influential figure amongst representatives of the "juste milieu" school, such as Francois Guizot. As a practising Catholic, he defended the liberties of the French church against the forces of ultramontanism, but also argued for the separation of the powers of church and state. Although continuing to sit in the Chamber of Deputies after 1830 and the establishment of the July Monarchy, he gradually distanced himself from politics.

Following the death of Royer-Collard on 4 Sept. 1845, it was at a meeting of the Society of Agriculture, Sciences and the Arts of the Department of the Marne, on 31 July 1846, that one of the members proposed that his native Department should do him homage. The Society then opened a subscription, each of its members contributing 10 francs, for a statue, to which it was hoped that the inhabitants of Vitry would make further contributions.

Marochetti's statue and its two reliefs, cast by E. Quesnel, were inaugurated at an impressive civic ceremony on 21 Nov. 1847, at which Marochetti, and two members of the Academy were present. A witness later described this event, and gave his impression of the statue. Royer-Collard, he said, was "represented standing, holding in his right hand the Address of the 221, his costume is simple, heavy and not especially smart; he is dressed in an overcoat". The address referred to was a sort of ultimatum from the liberal majority in the chamber to Charles X in 1830, objecting to the appointment of Prince Jules de Polignac as the head of a ministry. This was followed closely by the July Revolution, which brought the Orleans branch of the Royal family to power. As this observer says, Royer- Collard is represented as much older than he had been in 1830. But, he claimed, "The head is beautiful, one recognises the thoughtful brow, the deep look of the philosopher, his grave and severe attitude." Amongst the people listening to Royer-Collard's speeches in the reliefs below (see separate entries), spectators would recognise Francois Guizot and Adolphe Thiers.

At the dinner following the unveiling and the march past, a toast was proposed to Marochetti, "the able sculptor" of the statue. Marochetti acquitted himself of the task of presenting his thanks "with as much felicity as modesty".

(Royer-Collard, sa vie publique, sa vie privee, sa famille, by Adrien Philippe, Paris 1857)

Royer-Collard was one of those deputies so ruthlessly caricatured by Daumier, and Marochetti's portrait of him, though not intended as a caricature, comes very close to it. As his biographer, Adrien Philippe, who we have already quoted, pointed out, Royer-Collard was no pretty face, but a stocky and clumsy valetudinarian with a wig that often went awry.

Before the statue's unveiling, the Journal des Artistes, et Bulletin de l'Ami des Arts (21st year, 1st part, 6th issue, 1847) expressed the hope that Marochetti would be more successful with it than he had been with his "pitiful equestrian statue of the Duke of Orleans", with his three attempts at Napoleon, or with his statue of General Bertrand, still languishing in the corner of a studio, and rejected by its subscribers. In the event, little attention seems to have been paid to it outside Vitry. In January 1848, Marochetti was intending to issue a bronze reduction of his statue, but no such statuette is known and the Revolution of 1848 would probably have put paid to it (see Chronique des Arts et de la Curiosite, a supplement to the Gazette Des Beaux Arts, 23 March 1862, p.2. Report of a sale of autograph letters from the collection of M. Fosse-Darcosse). The statue remains remarkable for its unflinching representation of its subject.