Jupiter of Smyrna at The Louvre, Paris

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The colossal marble sculpture, carved by an elusive master artist in the heart of the 2nd Century AD, stands tall as a majestic depiction of Jupiter, the monarch of the gods and ruler of the celestial expanse. This imposing statue, unearthed in Smyrna (now İzmir) in 1680, was initially dedicated to the Roman god of sky and thunder before being reimagined as a Zeus by Pierre Granier around 1686, who skillfully added the arm wielding the lightning bolt. Originally installed in the Gardens of Versailles, the statue fell into the hands of revolutionaries during the tumultuous French Revolution in 1793. Jupiter, the supreme deity, is revered as the king of the gods and lord of the skies, commanding thunder and storms. As the chief deity of Roman state religion throughout its Republican and Imperial periods, Jupiter played a pivotal role in shaping the Empire's spiritual landscape until Christianity eventually rose to dominance. According to Roman mythology, Jupiter forged an alliance with Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome, to establish fundamental principles of Roman worship, including sacrifice and devotion.