After work started in 2016, Lionel Arsac, the curator of sculptures at the Palace of Versailles (Yvelines), has found two forgotten royal statues.
The first, "Zéphyr, Flore et l'Amour", had been commissioned by Louis XIV in 1713, but had not been completed until after the king's death in 1726. The second, "L'Abondance", had as for it was commissioned by Louis XV in 1752, reports
Le Parisien
.
A gift from Angola
Originally, Lionel Arsac had only started looking for the first statue after having spotted it in a photo dating from 1975. By conducting research in the sales catalogs archived at the castle, he had discovered that it had been sold to Alphonse de Rothschild in 1881.
By studying the properties of the family, the curator had learned that the Ephrussi Rothschild hotel, in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, had been purchased in 1979 by the Angolan embassy.
The specialist went there and discovered the two statues there.
In the name of its friendship with France, Angola has donated them to the castle, which is exhibiting them until June 5.
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Angola
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Castle of Versailles
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