The Palace of Versailles is one of the most tremendous buildings that were created in the 17th century. The palace was built by the order of Louis XIV - ‘Sun King’ (1638-1715). He wanted to create the palace that would glorify France with its splendid beauty and luxury and show the greatness and power of the king.
Louis XIV adored every form of art. Art was used with the purpose to increase the glory of France and make it associate with the name of the Sun King. So, he decorated his public and private buildings with a great number of pieces of art.
Louis XIV wished to have a luxurious palace in the vicinity of Paris in order to transfer his power from the capital and increase his own authority and weaken the aristocrats’ strength (Versailles). Thus, the Palace of Versailles helped him to grab all power in his hands. The royal family lived in Versailles Palace from 1682 to 1789 (Versailles).
Three outstanding artists put a piece of their talent in the Palace of Versailles. The landscape designer Andre Le Notre, the interior decorator Charles Le Brun and the architect Louis Le Vau worked from 1668 to 1684, though some construction started earlier and were continued till 1710. The Palace of Versailles is a great example of the French Baroque style that is characterized by huge curved forms, high domes, twisted columns, and complicated shapes. The Baroque architecture in France was decorated with a greater number of lavish details on orderly and symmetrical buildings than in the rest of Europe (Boundless).
The interior designer Le Brun originated the ‘Louis XIV-style' that is characterized by gold and red richly-woven brocades and fabrics, large sculpted side boards, heavy gilded plaster molding, and heavy marbling (Boundless). He created the most notable features of the palace - the ‘Ambassadors' Staircase,' the ‘Halls of War and Peace,' and the ‘Great Hall of Mirrors.' The Hall of Mirrors seems to be the most famous room in the world. It is the central gallery of the palace and its main feature is a series of 17 arches with mirrors that reflect 17 windows with a view of the gardens. The marble pilasters surround the arches upon which the symbols of France are embedded (Boundless).
The royal palace is not the only building on the grounds. Also, there were built five chapels, the Petit Trianon, the Grand Trianon, the Pavilion Francais and 800 hectares of the gardens (Palace of Versailles).
Andre Le Notre created for the Versailles one of the most extravagant landscape designs in history. The gardens were designed in a French formal garden style that is characterized by numerous fountains and sculptures, carefully manicured lawns, and ‘parterres' of flowers. The fountain ‘the Bassin de Latone' was sculpted by Balthazar and Gaspard Marsy in 1668-1670 (Boundless). It shows the scene of revolt. Another fountain ‘the Bassin d'Apollon' shows the sun god who drives a chariot. Commonly, the artists used classical mythology for decorations and sculptures at Versailles.
The Versailles Palace was created to impress people by the luxury and perfection of the form. There people saw a huge collection of fine furniture, the long rows of monumental statues, and colossal murals created by the best artists of that time (Versailles). The ideal geometric design of the Versailles’ garden and a stunning fountain in the yard complement the beauty and greatness of the building. The palace shows the world that the king who built it is the wealthiest and the most powerful and glorious. Mark Twain said about the Versailles Palace, “You gaze, and stare, and try to understand that it is real, that it is on the earth, that it is not the Garden of Eden . . .”( Versailles)
Versailles was not just a place of amusement, its organization of space, that was innovative in the 17th century, was a symbol of the order of the state (Palace of Versailles).
The king, who spend in the palace the biggest part of his life, followed a strict schedule. Louis XIV was awakened at 8 am. Familiars, favorites, and doctors followed in succession in his bedchamber where he washed and shaved. Only males could observe the king’s morning rituals. At 10 am everyone who formed the royal cortège could catch a glimpse of the monarch when he crossed the Grand Apartment. They could talk to him or give him a written request. After that, the monarch was occupied with the state’s problems and consulted with his ministers in the cabinet (A day in the life of Louis XIV).
At 1 pm usually Louis XIV dined alone. Though this meal was private, sometimes the king could receive the Court. After the diner, Louis XIV announced his intentions according to the rest of the day, he could choose hunting, or a walk in a carriage with the ladies, for instance.
In the evenings, the Court attended the Grand Public Supper. Louis XIV was sitting at the table near the members of the royal family. At 11:30 there was a public ceremonial of the King’s withdrew to his bedroom (A day in the life of Louis XIV).
Louis XIV was an outstanding figure. He was a wise monarch and managed to start the system of absolute monarchy that lasted until the French Revolution. At the time Louis XIV was alive, nobody could think about the overthrow of the monarchy as at the end of the 17th century that way was ideal for the country. But by the end of 19th century the absolute monarchy outdated, the country was not as strong as earlier and the Louis XIV’s descendants bankrupted the state treasury, as they got used to the lavish lifestyle that the Sun King started. The Palace of Versailles was a symbol of monarchy that the French people hated. Thus, initially this place was a symbol of the absolutism, but later it was the symbol of the decadence of the French monarchy and out-of-date regime (Palace of Versailles).
Works cited
“A day in the life of Louis XIV”. chateauversailles.fr. Web. Accessed 28 Feb. 2016 at http://en.chateauversailles.fr/history/versailles-during-the-centuries/living-at-the-court/a-day-in-the-life-of-louis-xiv
Boundless. “Architecture, Sculpture, and Decoration at Versailles.” boundless.com. 2015. Web. Accessed 28 Feb. 2016 at https://www.boundless.com/art-history/textbooks/boundless-art-history-textbook/europe-in-the-1600s-ce-27/france-174/architecture-sculpture-and-decoration-at-versailles-647-7500/
“Palace of Versailles. History, Architecture, Interior Design”. visual-arts-cork.com.Web. Accessed 28 Feb. 2016 at http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/versailles-palace.htm
“Versailles”. historylines.net. Web. Accessed 28 Feb. 2016 at http://www.historylines.net/history/17th_cent/versailles.html
