Neptune Fountain

Public Art: Neptune Fountain

Also Known As: The Pool below the Dragon, the Fir Tree Pool or the Lake of the Pines

Sculptor: © Jean-Baptise Lemoyne ( 1704 – 1778) , Nicolas-Sébastien Adam (22 March 1705 – 27 March 1778), François Gaspard Adam (May 23, 1710 – August 18, 1761), and Edme Bouchardon  (29 May 1698 – 27 July 1762).

Description: The fountain features three groups, Neptune and Amphitrite by the Lambert brothers, Proteus by Edme Bouchardon and Oceanus by Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne. There are 99 jets located in the fountain. During the summer months, the fountain becomes part of a musical show.

Date Unveiled: The original fountain was built between 1679 and 1681. The pool was modified slightly in 1736  and again in 1740, the groups were added.

Location: The fountain is located in the grounds of the Chateau de Versailles (Palace of Versailles), at the national state museum, Versailles, France.

Things you may not know:

The original fountain was built under the direction of Andre Le Notre during the reign of Louis XIV. The fountain’s original design was to feature a Neptune theme but this didn’t eventuate. The pool shape was slightly modified in 1736. In 1740, during the reign of Louis XV the three groups were added, Neptune and Amphitrite, Proteus and Oceanus.