This large marble statue of Achilles depicts the character of Homer's Iliad dying after an arrow pierces his heel (his only unprotected area of his body after being dipped in the River Styx as a child). Note Achilles' gaze skywards as to seek help from Olympus; his mother Thetis was a goddess. The sculpture was commissioned by the owners of its location (The Achilleion) to German sculptor Ernst herter created in Berlin in 1884 as inscribed on the statue. It forms the centrepiece to the Achilleion Gardens. 

Achilleion is a palace built in Gastouri, Corfu by Empress of Austria Elisabeth of Bavaria, also known as Sisi, after a suggestion by Austrian Consul Alexander von Watzberg. Elisabeth was a woman obsessed with beauty, and very powerful, but tragically vulnerable since the loss of her only son, Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria in the Mayerling Incident in 1889. A year later in 1890, she built a summer palace in the region of Gastouri (Γαστούρι), now the municipality of Achilleion, about ten kilometres to the south of the city of Corfu. The palace was designed with the mythical hero Achilles as its central theme. Corfu was Elizabeth's favourite vacation place and she built the palace because she admired Greece and its language and culture. Achilleion's location provides a panoramic view of Corfu city to the north, and across the whole southern part of the island. (source)

This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.