Flore, Sculpture in Versailles, France

Flore is a white marble statue of the goddess of flowers standing in the north-east room of the Dauphin's Grove at the Palace of Versailles. Carved in the round but set on a quadrangular base as a term, the figure wears a drapery tied over one shoulder while holding a garland of flowers against her waist.

The work was ordered in 1679 by Colbert from the French Academy in Rome and carved by the student Lacroix before August 1681. It then moved between several locations in the gardens, reaching the north-east room of the Dauphin's Grove in 1692, and was returned there in 2000 after the grove was rebuilt.

The garland of flowers held at her side repeats the botanical decoration that once surrounded this corner of the grove, where planting was as important as sculpture. Today visitors can still see how the white figure echoes the green hedges behind it, linking stone and foliage in the same garden idea.

The sculpture stands at ground level among clipped hedges, so you can walk close to it and study the drapery and flower details from several angles. Morning and late afternoon bring softer light that makes the white marble easier to read than in strong midday sun.

In 1939, at the start of the war, the statue was buried for several months in a trench near the Latona Parterre to protect it from damage. The nose and three fingers of the right hand were also remade in 1895 after being reported missing.