Loire and Loiret, Marble sculpture in the 1st arrondissement, Paris, France

Loire and Loiret is a marble group by Corneille Van Clève, carved in 1703–1707 for the Château de Marly and moved to the Tuileries Garden in 1719. It shows two reclining river gods, the Loire and the Loiret, with an urn and reeds; the marble original is now in the Louvre, and a replica stands in the garden near the Fer à Cheval.

Carved by Corneille Van Cleve between 1703 and 1707, the group was commissioned for the gardens of the Château de Marly, the royal retreat built for Louis XIV. It was brought to the Tuileries in 1719, under the Regency, and set near the Fer à Cheval. The marble on view is a replica; the original is kept at the Louvre.

The sculpture portrays two French rivers through human figures carved in classical style. You can observe how the artist expressed movement and flow through the poses and gestures of the allegorical bodies.

The statue is located in an easily accessible area of the garden near the Fer a Cheval section and can be viewed for free. It is best to visit early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid crowds.

The marble group was commissioned for the gardens of the Château de Marly under Louis XIV and carved by Corneille Van Clève, who became rector of the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture. The rivers are shown as an old man and a young figure, a pairing visitors often mistake for a family group.