Bust Of Athena (or Minerva) At The Palace Of Versailles - Guillaume Larrue - Around 1890-1900

Guillaume Larrue was born in Bordeaux in the mid-19th century. Specializing in scenes of interiors, both domestic and grand residences, Guillaume Larrue regularly exhibited at the Salon. Several state purchases have enabled his works to be exhibited at the Louvre, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux and the Musée Lambinet in Versailles.

At Versailles, Larrue painted the rooms of the château and the garden parterres. Notable examples include Un Escalier de marbre sold at Christie's on June 22, 2006 (Paris, lot 123, €3,000); and Vue d'une fontaine sold at Sotheby's, New York, on May 23, 1989 (lot 207, $6,000).

Our painting is part of this series. It represents the bust of Minerva (or Athena) preserved at the Château de Versailles under inventory number MV7610. The original work in marble and lead dates from the time of Louis XIV. For a time, it was housed in the Curators' ofice, before being displayed in the Queen's Guard Room.