Minerva, also known as the Mazarin Alexander at The Louvre, Paris

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Cardinal Mazarin (1602-1661) masterminded the creation of the Mazarin collection in both Rome and Paris, amassing a treasure trove of antique artworks from these two cities. At his passing in 1665, aside from the bust of Louis XIV stored at the Palace of Versailles and partial distribution to the Louvre before the Revolution, the majority of his collection remains intact at the Mazarin Palace in Paris. This bust is first documented between 1653 and 1661 while it was still part of Cardinal Mazarin's collection. Interestingly, the bust was originally intended to depict Alexander the Great, likely as a means of competing with Richelieu's famous play in Versailles. Now identified since its purchase in 1665 as the Goddess Minerva, the work appears to reproduce either the Athena/Pallas of Velletri (also on Scan the World) or the Mattei Athena at The Louvre (Ma 530). This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative launched by MyMiniFactory, which aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan The World is an open source community effort; if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.