Junon Cesi, dite aussi Bérénice, Statue in Versailles, France
Junon Cesi, dite aussi Bérénice, is a marble statue in the gardens of Versailles, France. It shows a standing female figure with a diadem on her head, her right arm raised holding a piece of a scepter, and her left arm resting on her hip, with most of her body covered by a large drapery.
The statue was made in Rome in 1673 by François Lespingola, based on an ancient work from the Cesi Palace. It was brought to Versailles in 1683 and has been moved several times within the gardens, with repairs carried out over the centuries.
The statue is known by two names: Junon Cesi and Bérénice. This dual identity reflects a long-standing debate among scholars about whom the figure actually represents, and visitors may notice that some guides refer to it by one name while others use the other.
The statue stands near the Neptune Basin in the gardens of Versailles. Visitors can see it while walking through the garden paths, and it is best viewed from the front to appreciate the details of the drapery and the pose.
The statue's right arm was broken and reattached above the elbow, a detail noted in an inventory from 1707. Over the years, various parts, including a piece of the diadem and sections of the drapery, have been restored, leaving subtle traces of these interventions.
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