Created by #Francois to serve as the majestic entrance to the #Apollo Gallery, the #Apollo Rotunda was not completed when #Louis XIV left the #Louvre and went to Versailles. The decision to paint this space was a logical step in the 19th century, when restoration work of the palace wanted to resume where Louis XIV left them. Several artists worked on the murals for the opening of the Salon in 1819. The central lampshade of the brush #Merrijosefblondel presents us with the fresco "The Sun. The Fall of Icarus." The mythological plot of this work allegorically marks the end of old traditions in palace painting, where more and more ceilings are painted in the Empire style. Around this central part, four works, also with mythological subjects, represent the main four elements. To the left on the north side, the air of Blondel is personified by the wind gods Aqualon and Boreas, fighting against the Trojan fleet. The other three- Earth, Water and Fire - were painted by the French artist #Charles Augustcuder. In the south, the Water is depicted by Scamander and Simois, the gods of the rivers of the same name, who are trying to swallow Achilles. In the west, Fire symbolizes the Volcano that forged the armor of Aeneas and showed them to Venus. In the east, the Earth demonstrates the battle of Hercules with the giant Antheus. Saturated colors, impressive sizes of figures and developed muscles, weighing down the overall appearance, the bustle of most scenes strangely contrast with the elegant medallions painted by #Zhanbatistmoses in a more classical manner #grisaille, making it clear to the attentive viewer about the search for stylistics to express the coming era of romanticism.

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