La Renommée du Roi, by Domenico Guidi, sculpture by Domenico Guidi

La Renommée du Roi by Domenico Guidi is a white marble group at the Neptune Basin in the gardens of Versailles. A winged Fame holds a medallion of Louis XIV's profile and writes his deeds in a book supported by the allegory of Time. She treads on Envy, fallen and biting a heart, her arm wrapped in snakes. The tall pedestal has a plain front panel and grey veining.

The statue was created in 1677 by Italian sculptor Domenico Guidi following a design by Charles Le Brun, a leading artist under Louis XIV. Originally installed in the orangery terrace, the work was moved multiple times throughout the gardens before being relocated to its current position at the Neptune Basin.

The figure represents fame itself, symbolizing how the king's reputation spreads and is preserved. She holds a medallion showing the king's profile while writing in a book, suggesting that a ruler's glory is recorded and remembered by history for future generations.

The marble group stands outdoors at the Neptune Basin, in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, not in storage. Visitors reach it on foot through the gardens, a long walk from the palace, so allow time and wear suitable shoes. The basin and its surroundings are best seen in daylight, when the carved marble and the grey-veined pedestal are clearly visible.

The work features a complex symbolic composition with a figure of Envy lying beneath Fame, biting a heart and holding snakes to represent jealousy and rivalry. Surrounding medallions depict Alexander the Great, Scipio, Caesar, and Trajan, comparing the king's glory with the achievements of these ancient rulers.