1 / 10
statue of a man sitting on a rock with his arms outstretchedmarble statue of a man sitting on a rock with a dogmarble statue of a man sitting on a horse with a womanmarble statue of a young man holding a vase in his right handstatue of a man sitting on a chair with a cloth around his neckstatue of a woman sitting on a rock with her arms outstretcheda statue of a woman sitting on top of a tablea statue of a man sitting on top of a rockmarble statue of a woman playing a harp on a rockmarble statue of a man sitting on a rock with a bird in his hand
Featured lot selected by the auctions House.
Premium Maîtres CAMPER & DABERNAT

70 - French school, c. 1700, after François Girardon (1628–1715) …
See original version (French)

Estimate €15,000 - €20,000
Sale commission
Description
French school, c. 1700, after François Girardon (1628–1715) Apollo attended by nymphs White marble reduction H. 58 cm, on a green marble plinth H. 10 x W. 52 x D. 33 cm Damage (tip of the left hand previously broken and reattached, now detached) and losses, minor damage to the edges of the plinth Provenance: Probably the work mentioned in the Harenc de Presle sale in 1792 Related literature Alexandre Pradère, *L’objet d’art*, no. 441, 2008, ‘Harenc de Presle, a banker and collector in the Age of Enlightenment’, pp. 68–77. Alexandre Maral, “Apollo Served by the Nymphs”, the masterpiece of the gardens of Versailles, “Versailles. État des lieux” collection, Editions Artlys, 2017 Alexandre Maral, François Girardon, the sculptor of Louis XIV, Paris, Arthena, 2015, pp. 77–96, and works listed as S36, p. 468, Sem 7, p. 480, Sb1, p. 507 Reference work: -François Girardon and Thomas Regnaudin, Apollo Attended by Nymphs, group sculpture, marble, 1667–1674. Versailles, National Museum of the Palaces of Versailles and Trianon, inv. MR 1866. Related works: -Girardon in collaboration with Regnaudin, Apollo Served by the Nymphs, bronze group, H.59.5 x 78 x 53 cm, Dresden, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Grünes Gewölbe, inv. IX-23; Page 1 of 2 -After Girardon, anonymous 18th-century Italian artist, Apollo with a lyre after Apollo Attended by the Nymphs, 1760–1790, marble, Italian art market; This significant figure of Apollo is a rare marble reduction of the central figure from the group *Apollo Served by the Nymphs*, sculpted by François Girardon and Thomas Regnaudin between 1667 and 1675 to adorn the Grotto of Tethys in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. This ensemble, which also included the *Horses of the Sun* by Balthasar and Gaspard Marsy, forms part of the major project to landscape the gardens of Versailles, which began in 1666. The ‘Apollo group’, which draws on Ovid’s *Metamorphoses* – a major source of literary inspiration for the artists of Versailles – is undoubtedly a major masterpiece in the history of sculpture. As such, it is now housed inside the palace: its condition, threatened by erosion, had become incompatible with its former location in the gardens on the artificial rock designed by Hubert Robert in the mid-18th century. The iconographic concept was to depict a deified image of King Louis XIV in the guise of a calm and impassive Apollo, surrounded and attended by nymphs, seeking rest at Versailles after having worked for the good and justice of his kingdom. The brothers Charles and Claude Perrault – who were both architects and members of the Académie des Beaux-Arts involved in the project – followed by Charles Lebrun, the King’s principal painter, and finally the two sculptors Girardon and Regnaudin, each in turn claimed authorship of the royal allegory. It is now accepted that this group is the result of a team effort under the aegis of the Superintendent of the King’s Buildings, Jean-Baptiste Colbert. Our marble sculpture depicts only the central figure of ‘Apollo-Louis XIV’, whose form is inspired by the famous Apollo of the Belvedere. We see the simple beauty, triumphant youth and subtly defined musculature of the famous ancient statue, which conveys a glorious and eternal image of the monarch. Given the group’s fame and the enthusiastic reception it received when first unveiled to the public, it is surprising that so few smaller-scale versions of the model are known to exist. The most famous is the bronze version purchased by Raymond Leplat in 1715 on behalf of Augustus the Strong, now housed in Dresden. This impressive group is now regarded by Alexandre Maral not as a bronze reduction made after the monumental marble sculpture at Versailles, but as an early version that served as a preparatory model. Another is mentioned in Luc-Vincent Thierry’s famous *Guide for Foreign Amateurs and Travellers in Paris* as being in the collection of François-Michel Harenc de Presle (1710–1802). In the catalogue for the prestigious auction of this collection on 16 April 1792, it is listed under no. 179: Girardon, Apollo; the same as the one in the Baths of Versailles. He is depicted seated, pointing with his left hand; this fine marble sculpture is of rare beauty and exquisite craftsmanship. The tip of the index finger has been restored. Height 21 inches, width 14 p. It is highly likely that this is the marble in question. Expert: Cabinet Lacroix-Jeannest
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale DRAWINGS – PAINTINGS – SCULPTURES – ART OBJECTS
Auction location
Auction time 06/27/2026 at 2:00 PM
Ref. : 7954 - 110
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like