Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Bartholdi akanga aita muenzaniso wokutanga wepfungwa yake muna 1870. Mwanakomana weshamwari yaBartoldi, muimbi weU.S. John LaFarge, akazoti Bartholdi akaita mifananidzo yekutanga yechifananidzo panguva yekushanya kwake kuU.S. kuRhode Island studio yaLa Farge. Bartholdi akapfuurira kukudziridza pfungwa yacho pashure pokudzokera kwake kuFrance. Akashandawo pamifananidzo inoverengeka yakagadzirirwa kusimbisa kuda nyika kweFrance pashure pokukundwa nevaPrussian. Chimwe chaizvozvi chakanga chiri "Shumba yeBelfort", chivezwa chikuru chakavezwa mujecha riri pasi peimba yamambo yeBelfort, iyo mukati mehondo yakanga yaramba chibvumirano chakasimba nehurumende yeFrance.
Kukombwa nePrussian kwemwedzi inopfuura mitatu. Shumba inoshora, yakareba uye hafu yacho pakukwirira, inoratidza unhu hune chokuita nemirangariro hunozivikanwa nechiRomanticism, uhwo Bartholdi aizounza gare gare kuChifananidzo cheRusununguko.