The Apotheosis of Hercules
Mural painting, ceiling fresco • François Lemoyne (French, 1688–1737)
Style & Movement
Rococo / Late Baroque transition
Medium & Technique
Fresco; the technique involves applying pigments onto wet lime plaster (buon fresco) with occasional secco details for finish
Creation Period
1733–1736
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 18 x 31 meters (main ceiling area); Monumental Landscape / Oval Centrality
Subject Description
The scene depicts Hercules being welcomed into Olympus by Jupiter and the assembly of Greek gods. The composition is a 'quadratura' masterpiece, showing a celestial vortex of figures including Apollo, Hera, Mars, and various muses amid billow clouds, representing the transition of a hero to divine status.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent; well-preserved through state-funded restoration programs
Estimated Market Value
Inestimable (National Treasure of France)
Auction Estimate
Not applicable; permanently held in a public national heritage collection
Provenance History
Commissioned by King Louis XV of France for the Salon d'Hercule at the Palace of Versailles; it has remained in situ since its completion in 1736.
Art Historical Significance
One of the most significant 18th-century decorative cycles in Europe. It represents the pinnacle of French academic painting and the Rococo style, marking a shift from the heavy Louis XIV style to the airier, more colorful aesthetic of the Louis XV era.
Notable Features
Includes 142 figures; famous for its vibrant blues (lapis lazuli) and the fluid, spiraling movement of the composition that draws the viewer's eye upward.
Condition Issues
Historically experienced micro-cracking and darkening due to candle soot and environmental cycles; however, modern conservation has stabilized the plaster and cleaned the surface.
Conservation Recommendations
Strict climate control (temperature and humidity) within the Salon d'Hercule; UV filtering on windows; periodic non-invasive monitoring of the plaster substrate.