The Pastoral Poem at The Palace of Versailles, France

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This marble sculpture portrays a woman grasping a shepherd's crook and panpipes in her left hand. The sculpture is titled "The Pastoral Poem" and was created by Gérard-Léonard Hérard (circa 1635-1675) and Pierre Granier (1635-1715), completed between 1674-1683. It belongs to a series of 24 sculptures commissioned by Colbert in 1674 for the Parterre d'Eau, this piece is influenced by a character from Charles Le Brun's drawings and "The Four Poems" series. This sculpture is part of the Grande Commande, a collection of works commissioned by King Louis XIV in 1674 for the Gardens of Versailles. The original project was proposed in 1674, with plans drawn up by Charles Le Brun outlining the series of 24 sculptures. The idea was to depict "a broad review of God's effects on the world and unity between man and nature" through personifications of natural phenomena and landmarks. The 24 sculptures were divided into four groups, each consisting of six works: The Four Times of Day - Morning, Midday, Evening, Night; Four Continents - Europe, Asia, Africa, America; The Four Seasons - Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter; The Four Elements - Earth, Air, Fire, Water; The Four Human Temperaments - Choleric, Phlegmatic, Sanguine, Melancholic; and The Four Poems - Heroic, Lyric, Satirical, Pastoral. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative by MyMiniFactory. Scan the World aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe for public access. It's an open-source community effort, if you have interesting items nearby and want to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how to help.