Fontaine du Soleil
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Pedro Pereira
Available for hire
"IN 1956, THE FRENCH SCULPTOR Alfred Janniot created a statue of the Greek god Apollo. The 23-foot-tall stone figure was surrounded by five bronze statues representing Earth, Mars, Venus, Mercury, and Saturn.
The unveiling of the unique center sculpture caused an outcry among locals. Firstly, Apollo had four statues of horses on his head. The makeshift crown was an ode to his mythological task of carrying the sun across the sky each day via chariot. This headpiece earned the statue the nickname “the four horsepower statue,” in reference to a nickname for the Renault 4CV, a popular car at the time of unveiling.
It also didn’t help that the Apollo sculpture was created completely naked, and according to some disgruntled spectators, too well endowed. Despite Janniot taking a chisel to his controversial creation, the statue was still deemed obscene. It was removed in the 1970s, and relegated to a new location behind the Charles Erhmann Stadium.
On July 20, 2011, Apollo found his new place in the center of a large pool, surrounded by his five bronze figures as part of the Fontaine du Soleil at the edge of Place Masséna, where he remains today."
Flávia Marques
"The fountain was inaugurated in 1956. The statues depict characters from Greek and Roman mythology. The one in the center represents Apolo in a very specific form. Similar to Catholic saints, Greek deities frequently assimilated into local cultures and adopted traits from earlier local deities and costume traditions. It’s not unusual to see Roman gods receive the attributes of Gaul gods, for example. Because of that phenomenon, widely worshiped gods like Apolo have several different forms and titles depending on the place where they were worshiped or their “function” at the time. It’s the same system that works for Barbie dolls: the basic shape remains, but they have several different lives and professions depending on what people want from them.
So, this is Apolo Atepomarus. We can tell by his crown, made of small horse figurines. This unusual accessory comes from the ancient Gaul god Atepomarus, a healing god who is often associated with small figurines of horses. Horses in Celtic and Gaul mythology were linked to the sun, and Apolo is supposed to be a sun god, so it all tied together."
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Josefina Ginevra
Available for hire
"With its impressive sculptures and central location, it's a notable landmark that's often surrounded by both locals and tourists. The fountain depicts Apollo, the sun god, and its intricate design makes it a picturesque spot for a leisurely stroll."
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