Zeus, known as “Jupiter of Versailles”
Marble, 2nd century CE.

This Roman statue of Zeus—identified with the Roman god Jupiter—was discovered in 1525 near the Porta del Popolo in Rome.

In 1623, it was gifted to King Louis XIV of France. The king commissioned sculptor Jacques Drouilly to transform the statue into a herm pillar, blending classical grandeur with Baroque presentation.

It now resides in the Palace of Versailles, symbolizing the enduring power and influence of Greco-Roman antiquity in royal iconography.