Vue du Bassin de Neptune dans le Jardin de Versailles 

Jean-Baptiste Rigaud captured the Vue du Bassin de Neptune in Versailles, immortalizing the mythological grandeur through precise lines. Dominating the scene is the Basin of Neptune, where water springs skyward. In ancient Rome, Neptune, god of the sea, symbolized power and control over the aquatic realm. The basin is framed by neoclassical columns, alluding to ancient temples, places of ritual and majesty. Columns reappear throughout architectural history, each time suggesting permanence, order, and civilization, a concept deeply rooted in our collective psyche. Here at Versailles, the fountain transforms nature into a stage for human ambition. Consider, too, the carefully arranged garden, a deliberate attempt to control and idealize nature. This struggle is one humanity has faced across millennia. The psychological tension between our primal connection to nature and our aspiration to dominate it is a powerful force. Neptune, the wild sea tamed into a predictable display, serves as a potent, cyclical symbol of this tension.