Louis XIV's Final Commission

Take a look at the beautiful statue facing you. It depicts Zephyr, the personification of the west wind of spring, declaring his love for Flora, goddess of flowers and springtime, with Cupid blessing their union below. The piece is a visual celebration of France flourishing under the Sun King's rule. It was also the last statue Louis XIV ever commissioned — he was a passionate collector of sculpture, and decorated not only this palace but also the Grand Trianon with it. The sheer scale of the Versailles estate, which stretches to the Trianon, the gardens' grand canal, and the Queen's Hamlet, is suggested by the painting on the left and the video playing on the opposite wall.