Apollon du Belvédère, Statue in Versailles, France
Apollo of Belvedere is a bronze statue standing against a wall of large light stone blocks in the gardens of Versailles. The nude male figure has a cloth draped over the left shoulder, a quiver behind the right shoulder, and his right hand resting on a tree stump.
The bronze was produced by Jean-Balthazar Keller between 1684 and 1686, using a mold made the previous year. It was first placed at the top of the western staircase of the Cent-Marches, then later moved near the western facade of the central palace building.
This cast copies a famous ancient marble in the Vatican, which for centuries was seen as a model of sculpted beauty. In the gardens of Versailles, the figure becomes part of the royal decor, where visitors notice the metal’s green surface and the careful arrangement by other statues.
The statue is installed outdoors, so visiting is easiest on clear days when the surrounding stone terrace is dry. The flat paths nearby make it simple to walk around and view the figure from different sides.
The surface of the metal shows traces of many repairs, including legs and parts of an arm and a hand remade in 1745. During the Second World War, the statue was taken away to the grounds of an abbey for protection before being brought back to the gardens.
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