Huge Concrete Bust Of Louis XIV

Gigantic bust/statue of the French king Louis XIV.

Made of solid concrete. Late 20th century.

Louis XIV (1638–1715), nicknamed “the Sun King,” was King of France from 1643 to 1715—with a reign spanning 72 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch in European history.

Key characteristics of his reign:

Absolutism: He embodied absolute monarchy, symbolized by the (probably apocryphal) phrase “I am the State”

Versailles: He turned the Palace of Versailles into a vast center of power and moved the court there, which allowed him to keep the nobility close to him (and under his control)

Wars: he waged several major wars (notably the Nine Years’ War and the War of the Spanish Succession) to expand French power and territory

He ascended to the throne at the age of 4 (under a regency) and did not take the reins of power himself until after Cardinal Mazarin’s death in 1661.

The statue weighs approximately 150–200 kg

Dimensions: 112 H x 80 L x 44 P