Nyora kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - 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 muhomwe yejecha pasi penhare yeBelfort, iyo mukati mehondo yakanga yaramba kukombwa nePrussia
kwemwedzi inopfuura mitatu. Shumba inoshora, yakareba uye hafu yacho pakukwirira, inoratidza unhu hune chokuita nemirangariro hunozivikanwa nechiRomanticism, uhwo Bartholdi aizounza gare gare kuChifananidzo cheRusununguko.