Archidamas, Marble statue in the 6th arrondissement, Paris, France
Archidamas is a marble sculpture of an athlete in classical pose, standing about 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall in the Luxembourg Gardens. The white figure shows a person preparing for a discus throw, a subject that expresses physical strength and skill.
Archidamas was made in 1852 by Philippe Joseph Henri Lemaire, a sculptor from the École des Beaux-Arts who trained under Pierre Cartellier. The marble figure entered the Luxembourg Gardens under the Second Empire, when the state commissioned statues of ancient figures for the garden's walks. It stands among the series of antique and French historical figures placed along the terraces and paths.
Archidamas was a Spartan king of the Eurypontid line, remembered for his role in the war against Messenia in the 7th century BC. Lemaire carved him as a bearded ruler, and the statue was placed in the Luxembourg Gardens under the July Monarchy, when Spartan austerity served as a model of civic virtue for French viewers.
The work is easy to find in the Luxembourg Gardens and can be reached from several entrances. The paths around the sculpture are well-maintained and allow comfortable viewing from different angles.
The statue is part of a large collection of works in the garden arranged thoughtfully across different locations to create a planned artistic experience. Many visitors walk past it without noticing that it depicts a famous Spartan ruler.
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