The Winged Victory statue, discovered on the Greek island of Samothrace, came to Paris in pieces. In 1866, its bust was exhibited in the Louvre. Champoiseau had left on place the large blocks of marble that surrounded it, thinking they were the remains of a tomb. In 1875, the excavation team discovered that they formed the prow of a ship that served as the statue’s base. A complete restoration of the monument was agreed upon at the Louvre. Missing parts (belt, left part, right wing) were redone in plaster and others were consolidated by a metal frame (left wing). Only the arms, head, and feet were not reconstructed.