Minerva Protecting the Young King of Rome 1811

"Minerva Protecting the Young King of Rome" is a high relief sculpture created in 1811 by French artist Joseph-Antoine Romagnési. The piece, which is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, depicts the Roman goddess Minerva protecting a young king from a she-wolf. The sculpture is executed in a Neoclassical style, characterized by its idealized forms and emphasis on classical themes. The composition is balanced and symmetrical, and the figures are rendered with great precision and detail. The sculpture was likely intended to celebrate the power and strength of the Roman Empire.