King Louis XIV of France known also as the 'Sun King' reigned from 1643 - 1715. A patron connoisseur and collector of the arts, Louis XIV promoted the ideology and aesthetic of Neo-classicism, and was responsible for the conversion of the hunting lodge built by Louis XIII into the spectacularly extravagant Palace of Versailles. During his reign, Louis XIV commissioned more than 300 formal portraits and over 20 statues. At the height of his power and under the advice of his war minister, a grand bronze equestrian portrait was commissioned to be executed by the renowned artist Francois Girardon. Girardon took inspiration from The Roman equestrian statue of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (now in the Musei Capitoline Rome) to assert the Kings absolute power and authority, depicting the King wearing Roman armor. The impressive bronze, stood 7 meters tall. Destroyed in the French Revolution, all that remains of Girardons statue is the left foot, now in the Musee Carnavalet, Paris. The group to scale of the original, on carrara marble base.

H 38 cm x W 21 cm x D 12 cm

King Louis XIV of France known also as the 'Sun King' reigned from 1643 - 1715. A patron connoisseur and collector of the arts, Louis XIV promoted the ideology and aesthetic of Neo-classicism, and was responsible for the conversion of the hunting lodge built by Louis XIII into the spectacularly extravagant Palace of Versailles. During his reign, Louis XIV commissioned more than 300 formal portraits and over 20 statues. At the height of his power and under the advice of his war minister, a grand bronze equestrian portrait was commissioned to be executed by the renowned artist Francois Girardon. Girardon took inspiration from The Roman equestrian statue of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (now in the Musei Capitoline Rome) to assert the Kings absolute power and authority, depicting the King wearing Roman armor. The impressive bronze, stood 7 meters tall. Destroyed in the French Revolution, all that remains of Girardons statue is the left foot, now in the Musee Carnavalet, Paris. The group to scale of the original, on carrara marble base.

H 38 cm x W 21 cm x D 12 cm