Adopt a statue in the gardens of Versailles

Versailles, an open-air sculpture museum

This white marble décor, which combines antique statues with works by some of the greatest sculptors of the 17th century, takes visitors on a truly poetic journey. Gods ans heroes from mythology stand alongside allegorical representations of human temperament, poetic genres and continents. 

This heritage site, which millions of visitors flock to admire every year, has remained largely untouched since its creation, but it has sufered the ravages of time. 

STATUES in safekeeping

Between 2005 and 2021, a huge operation was launched to restore, store, and make replicas of the statues in order to preserve this unique piece of heritage. 

Thanks to our sponsors, over 270 statues have been restored and moved to the Gallery of Sculptures and Casts. Replicas have also been made so that these works can continue to grace the parterres of the gardens of Versailles. 

Thank you to our PATRON

We would like to thank all the people who have contributed to the ambitious project. 

For the restaurations  : Madame Dominique AGNIEL-DEBEZE ; Monsieur Alexandre LOIRE, président-fondateur de la société AL HISTO ; M. Jean-Claude et Mme Claude AMSELLE ; Béatrice et Jean-Marc ANDRÉALO ; la Fondation ANNENBERG par l’intermédiaire de la Versailles Foundation ; la société ASTEM ; la société AUDITION CONSEIL ; la société AUSTIN & WHITE ; M. Charles AZERAD ; AZ DISSUSION AUDIOVISUEL ; ; Madame Delphine BARBIER-CARRE ; la société BEICIP-FRANLAB ; Monsieur et Madame Emmanuel BOCQUET et leurs enfants ; Mademoiselle Aliénor BOCQUET ; la société BOSS PROTECTION ; Madame Marie-Christine BREANT par l’intermédiaire de la Société des Amis de Versailles ; Monsieur Elward M. BRESSET JR ; la société BUTARD ENESCOT ; la société CAPCIME ; Monsieur Philippe CASSANG ; La CHAMBRE INTERDEPARTEMENTALE DES NOTAIRES DE VERSAILLES ; Madame Béatrice CHARON ; CHATEAU MARGAUX ; la société CIMENTS CALCIA ; les membres du CLUB BEAUX-ARTS de l’Association des Diplômés du groupe ESSEC ; Mademoiselle Violaine COLIN ; le CONSEIL GÉNÉRAL DU NORD-PAS-DE-CALAIS ; Stéphany COUARD DE GROSLIER, Princesse de Villarmosa  ; Mademoiselle Serena COULSON ; la société CPIMMO ; Monsieur Pascal Leclair et Monsieur Alain Rouvière fondateurs de la société CÔTÉ CAMPAGNE ; la société DAMMANN FRERES ; Madame Maha DEBS ; Caroline et Isabelle DESPICHT ; Monsieur Arnaud DUBOIS DE LA SABLONNIÈRE ; la société E-DENTIC ; la société EG INVESTISSEMENT SA ; la société EGL CONCEPT ; Sandrine et Laurène EPPELLE ; la société EQUITEAM ; Monsieur Jean-Louis FALCONI ; la société FINANCIÈRE D’URFÉ ; la société FLEUR DE METS ; Monsieur Grégory FLOURIOT ; Monsieur et Madame Jean-Marc FORNERI ; Monsieur Frédéric FORSTER; la fondation HEYDAR ALIYEV – AZERBAÏDJAN ; Monsieur Bernard GARNIER DE LABAREYRE ; la société GCC ; Monsieur Julien Girard ; Monsieur Henri GROLLEAU ; Monsieur Denis GRANDJEAN ; Monsieur Raymond GUERIN ; Messieurs Xavier et Hubert GUERRAND-HERMES ; la société SELARL du docteur Stéphane HERVE ; la Galerie HOPKINS CUSTOT ; la société HUGO & CIE ; Monsieur William KADOUCH-CHASSAING ; Mady, Henri et Simone KARSENTY, la société KRUG, SA du CHÂTEAU D’YQUEM ; la société LACOUR ; Madame Evelyne LANDEAU ; Monsieur et Madame Claude LAPLANCHE ;  la société LÉON GROSSE ;  Bruno LÉPOLARD ; la société LES JARDINS DU ROI SOLEIL ; la société LOMAREC ; le LIONS CLUB LE CHESNAY-ROCQUENCOURT ; Annick et Jean-Jacques MAILLARD ; Madame France MAJOIE-LE LOUS ; Madame Ariane MALZAC ; la société MARCHÉ BIRON ; Monsieur et Madame Jean-Pierre MARCIE-RIVIERE ; Colette et Maurice MARTIN ; Gilbert et Jacqueline MARTIN ; Monsieur Gauthier MARTIN ; la société MCI FRANCE ; la mutuelle LES MENAGES PREVOYANTS ; Mesdemoiselles Garance et Isild MERIEUX ; la société MOËT HENNESSY ; ; la société MOËT & CHANDON, JAS HENNESSY & CO ; Monsieur et Madame Philippe et Sylvie MOLLIER ; Monsieur et Madame Jacques et Danielle MORAU ; la société NOVEM CONSULTING ; la société NUTRIMETICS ; la société ORPI ; le comte et la Comtesse Hubert D’ORNANO ; la société OXILEO ; Madame Victoria PERSICHETTI ; Madame Yolande Charlotte PICCINI ; Monsieur Etienne PINTE par l’intermédiaire de la Société des Amis de Versailles ; la société POMONA ; Monsieur et Madame POSOKHOW-DEPECKER; Monsieur Hubert POUGENS; Monsieur Éric PUGET ; Madame Annick PUYOOU REGAIRAZ ; Monsieur Jean-Louis RÉMILLEUX ; Monsieur Damien RHODDE ; la société ROBERT PAYSAGISTE ; la société RUINART ; Monsieur et Madame Julio Mario SANTO DOMINGO ; la société SAUR ; la société SEM ESPACES VERTS ; la société SOGEFRIBRE du groupe AREVA ; la société SOLETANCHE-BACHY ; la SOCIÉTÉ DES AMIS DE VERSAILLES ; les donateurs privés réunis par la SOCIÉTÉ DES AMIS DE VERSAILLES ; la SOCIÉTÉ EUROPÉENNE DE PRODUCTION ; le SYNDICAT GÉNÉRAL DE LA BOURSE DE COMMERCE DE PARIS ; la société TECH’ADVANTAGE la société TECH’ADVANTAGE ; la société THE HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE ; Madame TORCHILINA ; Clélia et Benjamin TORTI NODA ; Monsieur Jean-Noël TOURY ; l’association LES TRAILERS DE PARIS-ILE-DE-FRANCE ; Madame Jeannine TRISTANT ; la société TUNGSTENE CREATION ; Monsieur Georges VANDALLE et ses enfants ; Monsieur et Madame Olivier VARTERESSIAN ; et la société VEUVE CLICQUOT PONSARDIN ; THE VERSAILLES FOUNDATION, INC ; la VILLE DE VERSAILLES, la VILLE DU CHESNAY ; le cabinet VINCENT RUSÉ CONSEILS par l’intermédiaire de la Société des Amis de Versailles ; Madame Sylvie WARGNIER.

For the replicas or casts : La fondation ANNENBERG ; Monsieur Serge BERGAL ; Monsieur Elward M. BRESSETT JR ; la société BUCÉPHALE FINANCE ; CHÂTEAU MARGAUX ; Monsieur Henri COLLOT ; Monsieur Alexandre FORNERI ; Monsieur Michel GAUTIER ; la société HUGO et CIE ; HUGO EVENTS ; Madame Evelyne LANDEAU ; la société LÉON GROSSE ; Madame Denise MAUBÉ par l’intermédiaire de la Société des Amis de Versailles ; Monsieur Alain Jean-Philippe MORAU ; Madame Danielle MORAU ; Monsieur Jacques MORAU ; la fondation NEXANS ; la région NORD-PAS-DE-CALAIS ; Monsieur Jean-Louis RÉMILLEUX ; les donateurs privés fédérés par la SOCIÉTÉ DES AMIS DE VERSAILLES ; la société SOLETANCHE-BACHY ; Monsieur Jean-François THIAULT ; THE VERSAILLES FOUNDATION, INC ; Madame Victoria WALTRIP PERSICHETTI ; Madame Sylvie WARGNIER.

lionel arsac and alexandre maral testimonies

Heritage curators at the Department of Sculptures and Preventive Conservation of the Palace of Versailles collections, Lionel Arsac and Alexandra Maral comment on the replica technique thanks to which 150 sculptures, out of around 320 in the gardens, are now in a safer place.

Alexandre Maral, Heritage curator and Head of the Department of Sculptures (left). © EPV / Christophe Fouin

Lionel Arsac, Heritage curator at the Department of Sculptures (right). © EPV / Thomas Garnier

Why was the decision taken to make replicas of the statues and conserve the original works in the Gallery of Sculptures and Casts and in the Palace (lower vestibule of the Royal Opera House, Lower Gallery etc.)?

The sculptures in the Versailles and Trianon gardens are an extraordinary part of our heritage, because the greatest sculptors from French and Italian schools deployed their talent to outperform each other when fulfilling commissions from Louis XIV. This heritage is fragile. Apart from vandalism, both recent and ancient, the marble works have been eroded by rain, atmospheric pollution and wind blowing sand. Once the surface has eroded, damage becomes exponential. Despite progress in restoration techniques, we cannot prevent natural phenomena, so it is our duty to conserve these masterpieces in a safer place and to replace them with replicas in the gardens.

What is the point of a replica statue with respect to conservation?

Replication techniques implemented by the moulding workshop of the Réunion des Musées Nationaux (RMN) draw on a wealth of experience in this sphere. So the replica is faithful to the original to within a micron. We prefer to make a mould rather than a sculpted copy, because sculpting does not allow for the reproduction of all the details of the works. Moulding also means we can keep records of alterations and thus the history of the work. This is essential because France signed the Venice Charter which specifically recommends conserving the state of the work without seeking to restore it to a former state we know nothing of.

How has patronage helped you conserve these works of art?

Patronage is essential. Without American patronage from the Versailles Foundation in 2007, the group sculpture Apollo served by the nymphs, the ultimate masterpiece of French sculpture from the 17^th century (the “great century” in French history) could not have been saved. Since then, half of the budget allocated to sheltering the sculptures has been funded by the Public Establishment of Versailles, the rest by our patrons. So they are absolutely indispensable.

François Girardon and Thomas Ragnaudin, Apollo served by the nymphs, 1666-1672, MR. 1866

© EPV / Christophe Fouin

How do you go about replicating a statue?

First of all, the original work is brought to the Sculpture restoration workshop where it is restored and prepared for moulding. Replicating a sculpture is a highly technical process, so we work with the top statuary moulders from the RMN moulding workshop. We make a mould of the work in silicone elastomer, which can be complicated when the works feature all sorts of details and protrusions. This layer starts out fairly liquid and soft, then solidifies to form a 3D picture of the work. The next step is to make the mould and its skin to make it easier to handle. Lastly, a partner firm to the moulding workshop, Atelier Prométhée, casts a mixture of resin and marble powder in the mould. This mixture was developed especially for Versailles. The only difference between the replica and the original work is the absence of veins, which we cannot reproduce. However, we do specify that it is a replica on the cartel in the gardens, and we also mention the name of the patron who contributed to the restoration and/or sheltering of the original work.

Have you planned to make replicas of the statues in Versailles?

The Conservation Department does not envisage putting the entire collection indoors. Works have been selected for their artistic and historic importance and their fragility or state of alteration. Lastly, a team of restorers is specifically monitoring this collection, being in charge of its maintenance and other preventive conservation missions. The idea is to maintain this heritage on an ongoing basis rather than conduct large-scale, costly restoration projects.