Neptune et Amphitrite, Lead sculpture group in Versailles, France
Neptune et Amphitrite is a lead sculpture group in the gardens of Versailles, France. It shows the sea god with his trident and his wife reclining on a shell, with a horse's head and a dolphin below.
The group was made between 1738 and 1740 by the sculptors Lambert-Sigisbert Adam and Nicolas Sébastien Adam. It was placed in the Neptune Basin in 1740 and has remained there since, becoming part of the garden's original design.
The work shows Neptune and Amphitrite, figures from classical mythology, and it was made to honor the sea god and his wife. Visitors often stop here to take photos and to admire how the dark metal stands out against the water and the trees.
The sculpture sits in the Neptune Basin, which you can reach by walking along the Water Avenue from the palace. The area is open during garden hours, and the ground is flat, so it is easy to walk around and see the work from different angles.
The sculpture is made of lead, which was cast in pieces and then assembled, giving it a dark, weathered surface. The horse's head and the dolphin are not just decorative; they were designed to spout water as part of the fountain's display.
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