Femme drapée, Statue in the Gardens of Versailles, France
Femme drapée is a white marble statue of a standing woman wrapped in cloth, placed on a tall rectangular pedestal near the Miroir basin in the gardens of Versailles. The figure has one arm bent across her chest and the other resting at her side, with a dark metal fence and tall trees behind her.
The marble body was probably found at Smyrna and brought to Versailles in 1680, then moved between several garden bosquets and considered for transfer to the Louvre. In 1821, after restoration by Jean-François Lorta, it was set around the Miroir basin, where it remains today.
Visitors often stop here to rest on the stone bench facing the statue, treating it as part of the garden's quiet rhythm rather than a museum piece. The draped figure reads as a familiar Roman lady, but over time it has been called a vestal, a muse, and even an empress by different guides.
The statue is set outdoors, so wearing comfortable shoes helps when walking across the gravel and earth around the basin. Morning or late afternoon light makes the white marble easier to see without strong glare.
The head and the lower part of the figure are not original, and the left hand was reshaped in the 19th century to hold a cup that has since disappeared. A close look at the marble shows faint joins where broken pieces were reattached over the centuries.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
