The Fontaine Saint-Sulpice is a monumental fountain located in Place Saint-Sulpice in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. It was constructed between 1843 and 1848 by the architect Louis Visconti, who also designed the tomb of Napoleon.
The four figures on the fountain represent four French religious figures of the 17th century famous for their eloquence.
Bossuet, North, statue by Jean-Jacques Feuchère
Fénelon, East, statue by François Lanno
Fléchier, West, statue by Louis Desprez
Massillon, South, statue by Jacques-Auguste Fauginet, completed by Fouquiet after the death of Fauginet.
The fountain is also called, in French, "La Fontaine des quatre points cardinaux," which means the "Fountain of the 4 Cardinal Directions," as it faces North, South, East, and West. This name is also a pun, because "points cardinaux" in French is a play on words. It can be understood as "Point Cardinaux" which means "not Cardinals," as all four of the bishops portrayed in the statues, while renowned, were never elevated to Cardinal.