French Oil Painting — “Apollo’s Chariot,” The Bassin d’Apollon at Versailles, Signed Roger Martin

French Oil — “Apollo’s Chariot,” The Bassin d’Apollon at Versailles, Signed Roger Martin

A small, atmospheric vintage French oil of the Bassin d’Apollon — the great fountain at Versailles where Apollo and his four-horse chariot rise from the water at daybreak — looking down the Grande Perspective toward the Grand Canal, with figures strolling the allée and the bosquets framing the view in dense greens. Loose, painterly brushwork in the post-impressionist tradition; the spray of the fountain jets caught in quick whites against the deep greens of the gardens, the sky scumbled in soft blues and grays above the tree line.

The Bassin d’Apollon was commissioned by Louis XIV in 1668 and designed by his court painter Charles Le Brun, with the central sculptural group of Apollo and his four-horse chariot executed by Jean-Baptiste Tuby between 1668 and 1671. The fountain sits at the heart of the Grande Perspective at Versailles and was the visual centerpiece of the Sun King’s iconography — Apollo, the sun god, rising from the sea at dawn as a direct allegory for Louis XIV himself. The fountain was fully restored by the Château de Versailles in 2024 ahead of the Paris Olympics equestrian competitions, returning Apollo and his chariot to their original gilded glory after more than a century of weathering — a fresh chapter for a 350-year-old subject.

Oil on isorel (French artist’s hardboard, a traditional support favored by early 20th-century French painters for its smooth surface and stability), signed lower left “Roger Martin.” Early 20th century, France. Presented in a deep cushion-profile giltwood frame that complements the warmth of the palette.

Dimensions
Panel: approximately 7.3 × 11.8 in
Framed: 17 in wide × 12 in tall

Origin: France, early 20th century

Condition Notes

In lovely overall condition, with the small honest marks of a piece that has lived a life:

• A few faint surface scratches on the board, visible only on close inspection.
• A tiny stray drop of blue paint near the upper edge — a studio mark, character only.
• The giltwood frame is in nice condition with the gentle wear consistent with age.
• Signed lower left.

Sold as found.