Bust of Dalida

Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti, born in Egypt on 17 January 1933 and known professionally as Dalida, was an Italian-French singer and actress. She is one of the top-selling Italian music artists globally, with approximately 140 million records sold. Her most famous songs include "Bambino", "Gondolier", "Les enfants du Pirée", "Le temps des fleurs", "Darla dirladada", "J'attendrai", "Le jour où la pluie viendra", "Gigi l'amoroso", "Salama ya salama", and "Paroles, paroles", the latter featuring spoken word segments by Alain Delon.

Dalida's career began in acting with her debut in Niazi Mustapha's 1955 film A Glass and a Cigarette. The following year, after signing with Barclay Records, she found success as a singer with her hit "Bambino". Between 1957 and 1961, she emerged as France's leading record seller. Her music gained popularity across Europe, Latin America, North America, and Asia, and she collaborated with artists like Julio Iglesias, Charles Aznavour, Johnny Mathis, and Petula Clark.

While Dalida continued her singing career, she also acted in a few films. She notably returned to cinema with The Sixth Day by Youssef Chahine in 1986, which was a hit in Egypt but didn't achieve commercial success in France despite critical acclaim.

Her life was marked by personal tragedies, including the suicide of her partner Luigi Tenco in 1967. Despite her grief, Dalida pressed on with her career, co-founding the record label International Show with her brother Orlando and continuing to record and perform. However, she struggled with depression and ultimately took her own life on 3 May 1987.

Montmartre honored Dalida, the famed singer of "Gigi l'amoroso," starting nearly a decade after her passing. In 1996, the City of Paris named a square near her former home after her, located at the intersection of rue de l’Abreuvoir, rue Girardon, and allée des Brouillards. Known as Place Dalida, this charming area was officially dedicated on December 5, 1996. The neighborhood continued its tributes, naming the 1996 vintage of Clos Montmartre wine after her. Further, on April 24, 1997, a bust crafted by Aslan (Alain Gourdon) was unveiled to commemorate her. Aslan, famous for his depictions of female figures and celebrities, including Marianne, General de Gaulle, Alain Delon, and Georges Pompidou, created an elegant and sensual bronze bust in Dalida's likeness.

Aslan made a lasting impression on a generation as an illustrator. From 1963 to 1981, he created the pin-ups for the magazine Lui, depicting women with generous figures. During the same period, many performance venues sought his talents. He designed posters for the Folies Bergère, the Crazy Horse, the Casino de Paris, the Olympia, as well as album covers and advertisements. As the creator of the full-length statue adorning Dalida's tomb in the Montmartre Cemetery, 18th division, he depicted the singer in the style of an Egyptian deity, surrounded by a sun.

The bust of Dalida in the square has endured less friendly assaults, including an attempted theft in 2010. With the mounting system damaged, the restoration took a month before Dalida was returned to her pedestal. In March 2017, the bust was vandalized following a demonstration in support of Théo. The mobilization of internet users hastened the cleaning of the defacing graffiti, and the sculpture was quickly restored.