Louvre wonders come to China

After two centuries standing at the Louvre, Diana de Gabies leaves France for the first time and greets viewers at a Chinese museum, as a warm-up to celebrate the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries five decades ago.

The Roman-era marble statue, also called The Sculpture of Artemis, portrays a gracefully standing Artemis, aka the Goddess of the Hunt, who is ready to buckle her cloak that is presented by her believers.

Dated back to about the first century, the statue is testimony to the Roman copy of Greek style. It was excavated in 1792 by the British history painter Gavin Hamilton (1723-98) at Gabii, Italy, and was later purchased by Napoleon, who then gave it to his brother-in-law Prince Camillo Borghese as a gift.