#Louis Le Vau

[travelella]

Louvre Museum, Librairie-Boutique du Musée du Louvre, Paris, France

Bastien Nvs

[thegoldensanctuary]

The King's Bedchamber Part I The Genesis

The King bedchamber in Versailles, also known as Louis XIV bedchamber or the King's Grand Bedchamber, is a place visited by millions every year, as one of the must-see locations of the palace. Situated in the center (from the North-South axis) of its central wing, right behind the Hall of Mirror, the Grand Bedchamber is remarkable by its opulent decor filled with symbolism, from its attic statue down to its very location, and its association with the sun King himself key figure in the palace's history.

But far from remaining an untouched sanctuary of the sun King, the room saw countless changes of varying magnitudes over the years.

The central position of the Bedchamber might not appear obvious to the visitor passing from room to room surrounded by a dense crowd. But a simple look at map of Versailles does reveal that the southern and northern wall of the room are indeed equidistant from the southern and northern edges of the central wing respectively, this reality is further reinforced by its location right behind the central Avant-corps of the Cour de Marbre(Fig 1).

 (Fig 1) The King bedchamber behind the central avant-corps of the Cour de Marbre.

From Versailles, from Louis XIII to the French Revolution

That position however is entirely artificial, as the room only became the sun's king bedchamber during the last 14 years of his reign, in which he changed 12 times the position from the day he first slept in Versailles, before finally settling for that central spot. In fact, even the avant corp of palace was inexistant until the late 1670s.

1.Mansart in Charge

 The story of how the King’s bedchamber came to find its current place, starts in the 1670s at that time the garden façade was dominated by a large terrace on its first floor made by Le Vau(fig 2), while the façade of the courtyard was still that of Louis XIII with only a few minor changes (fig 3), and no distinct Avant-corps. In 1678 Louis XIV decided to turn the palace from a secondary residence into a primary one, and as such significant changes had to be made. One of them was the replacement of the garden terrace in favour of a large indoor Gallery. Such changes implied significant structural alteration to the building, as the western wall of the rooms, with a view on the front yard, were used to support the façade of the terrace (fig 4), therefore pushing it westward to create an enclose space would mean a redesign of those rooms and a restructure of the roof.

Fig 2 : Versailles view from the Patrerre d’ Eau, with Le Vau’s Terrace in the background, Anonymous

Chateau de Versailles,

Fig 3 : Château de Versailles INV.GRAV 61

Fig 4 : Versailles, Blueprint of the first floor with the terrace in yellow and the western wall in pink, 1676-78, Stockholm, Nationalmuseum NMH CC 74

Considerable funds were assigned for the completion of those projects with a budget going from 30.000 livres in 1677[1] to 350.000 livres in 1678 and 200.000 extra livres added for “extraordinary spendings”[2] in 1678. Jules-Hardouin Mansart who had previously designed the marble cabinets of the Bosquet de la Renomee in the gardens, was put in charge of the project.

  Out of the 550.000 livres of budget, the 350.000  would be used to build the necessary wings to house the court and administration[3] while the 200.000 livres remaining would be allocated for the creation of the Gallery replacing the Terrace, with all its sutural implications, namely  : the creation of two high salons at the edges of the Gallery, each giving access to both royal apartments , with the salon de la Paix linking it to the Queen’s apartment, the salon de la Guerre linking the King’s apartment, and a central salon with a view on courtyard common to both royal apartment.

While the final layout is known (fig 5) several preliminary drawings give us a better insight into the evolution of the projects and its structural implication.

Fig 5 : Blueprint of Versailles first floor 1684, BnF Est. VA. 361

The first preliminary drawing(fig 6) shows the initial design of Grand Gallery and the central salon, with ionic columns and pilasters in the Gallery, and ionic pilasters in the Salon. The attic of the salon was supposed to be lit by lightwell linked to windows on the courtyard facade. The roof above the Salon is misaligned, maybe as a desire to keep parts of the original roof structure.

Fig 6 : Cross section of Versailles, with the projet for the Gallery on the left and the central salon on the right, 1678 Archives Nationales (from now on referred as AN) V.A. LXIII-24

A later drawing(fig7) shows several changes to the initial design, the vault shape of the gallery ceiling is now more pronounced, with a greater elevation and lightwells added on each side of the structure, while the lightwells of the salon on the other hand became narrower.  On the courtyard side the roof of the two lateral facades has been embellished and is now joining the central façade, the more pronounced vaulted shape of Salon ceiling forced Mansart to consider slightly re-centring the roof above.

Fig 7 : Cross section of Versailles, with the projet for the Gallery on the left and the central salon on the right, 1678 AN O1 1768A/1-1

The project was approved the 26th September 1678 by Colbert, as shown in this drawing(fig 8) with his signature at the bottom. The overall design is remarkably similar from the previous one, the ceiling of the salon slightly lowered, and the lightwells of its attic leveled with the windows of the façade. The pilasters of the Gallery have changed order and are now Corinthian, and the archway lowered to give more room for a larger overdoor with a cartouche in its center.

Fig 8 : Cross section of Versailles, with the projet for the Gallery on the left and the central salon on the right, 1678 Collection Louvre, Inv. 30 282

Despite Colbert’s approval, the drawing in question still appears distinct from the Hall of Mirror as we know it today. A later drawing (fig 9) exists however, featuring the definitive version of the Gallery, with the columns standing on a higher pedestal while keeping their upper level, and with the two niches removed. The rest of the drawing is more foreign: with an added floor to the front yard façade and an elevated roof on the garden side. While this Appearance of the Gallery became the definitive one, Mansart had to downgrade his ambitions and return to his previous ideas shown in earlier drawings for the rest of the project.

Fig 9 : AN, V.A. LXIII-25

As highlighted in those various drawings Mansart’s view of the Gallery was intrinsically linked with that of the three salons, they had to be greater in elevation when compared with the room of the apartments but also more spacious and a with a better flow of light. While the two salons at the edges of the Grand Gallery did benefit from their angular position, allowing the flow of light to come from two different directions, the central salon on the other hand had to rely on the presence of a higher open attic allowing light to penetrate by several lightwells, and to give it the necessary portions to be worthy of its  role as common room for the two royal apartments in Mansart’s greater scheme.

The solution found to house the attic without affecting the harmony of main façade of the courtyard (the Cour de Marbre as it will be known) was to create an an elevated Avant-Corps and place the central salon and its attic behind.  In conformity to the will of the King, the Cour de Marbre façade remained faithful in spirit to the original castle of Louis XIII. The central façade was entirely disassembled and reassembled a foot further[4], and, after the addition of the avant-corp it became the Cour de Marbre(fig 10) as we can still see almost 350 years later

Fig 10 : AN O1 1768A/1-2

The 9th of May 1684, Mansart sent the following letter to Louvois[5](who oversaw the King’s Buildings) about the completion of the facades shown above:

“The exterior of the small castle will be entirely complete by the 8th of next month, with all the gilding of the recently added plumping on the attic as well as the two dormers, I can assure you that they will look fine.

I think it will be better to scrub the balustrades, figures, and vases of the little castle instead of tarnishing the new which will never succeed regardless” 

The 7th of June Louvrois decided to inform the King:

“The yard of the castle is entirely clear, and the entire apartment, salon included, is ready for your majesty” [6]

[1] Compte des Bâtiments I,936-938

[2] Compte des Bâtiments I,1013-1016

[3] Ibid

[4] Gazette des Beaux Arts, 1976 Jean Claude Le Guillou Remarque sur Le corp central du château de Versailles

[5] AN O1/1795

[6] SHAT A1, 714, Fol. 113 as seen in Jestaz 2008, volume 2 p. 180

[francepittoresque]

15 décembre 1686 : mort de Daniel Gittard, architecte de Louis XIV ➽ http://bit.ly/Daniel-Gittard Architecte du roi à 30 ans, quatrième des huit architectes qui composent l’Académie d’architecture lors de sa fondation par Colbert, le 31 décembre 1671, Daniel Gittard s’illustre notamment dans la construction de l’hôtel de la Meilleraye, de la maison de Lully et du choeur de l’église Saint-Sulpice à Paris, mais également des fortifications du château de Belle-Ile acheté par Fouquet, succédant dans cette oeuvre-ci au célèbre Le Vau

[waldires]

Architect Louis Le Vau (1613-1670), c.1662 by unknown, oil on canvas 162x127,5 cm. Palace of Versailles

[angelkarafilli]

Versailles Orangerie

The Versailles Orangerie (French: L'orangerie du château de Versailles) was built by Jules Hardouin-Mansart between 1684 and 1686, before work on the Château de Versailles had even begun. The Orangerie, which replaced Louis Le Vau's earlier design from 1663, is an example of many such prestigious extensions of grand gardens in Europe designed both to shelter tender plants and impress visitors. With the addition of the Orangerie, the gardens, no longer reserved solely for use by Louis XIV, had the added use of a theatrical setting that could be used to entertain guests at court

[angie-arch2003]

Fachada Este de Louvre

La fachada este del Louvre, también conocida como la Columnata de Perrault, esta ubicada en la ciudad de parís y es considerada una obra maestra de la arquitectura clasicista francesa.

En el siglo XVII el Palacio de Louvre era la residencia real en Paris. El rey Luis XIV deseaba embellece y modernizar el palacio y la fachada era un punto critico que necesitaba una renovación.

Inicialmente, el proyecto se le fue concedido a Bernini, arquitecto importante de la época, quien realizo un diseño innovador con una planta baja que simulaba una colina de rocas. Este diseño no fue del agrado francés, ya que ese buscaba un estilo mas sobrio y clásico.

En 1667 se formo una comisión compuesta por Louis Le Vau, Charles Le Brun y Claude Perrault para el diseño y la construcción de la fachada. Finalmente, el la propuesta de Perrault fue la que se llevo a cabo.

Características de la Fachada:

Clasicismo Francés: la fachada de Perrault se caracteriza por su estilo clasicista, inspirado en la arquitectura griega y romana, con líneas rectas, proporciones armoniosas y un sentido de orden y equilibrio.

Columnata: El elemento mas destacado es la columnata doble, compuesta por columnas corintias pareadas a lo largo de la fachada.

Frontón: En el centro se encuentra un frontón triangular que corona a la composición, añadiendo un toque de monumentalidad.

Sobriedad: A diferencia del estilo barroco y ostentoso de Bernini, la fachada de Perrault es sobria y elegante, con una escasa decoración y un enfoque en la pureza de las líneas.

Importancia: La fachada de Perrault se convirtió en un símbolo del estilo clasicista francés y tuvo una gran influencia en la arquitectura posterior, tanto en Francia como en otros países.

Hoy en día, la fachada del Louvre es uno de los principales atractivos turísticos de París, y su imagen se ha difundido por todo el mundo gracias a su aparición en numerosas películas, libros y fotografías. La fachada es un testimonio de la rica historia del Louvre y de su importancia como uno de los centros culturales más importantes del mundo.

Evaluación

[luminouslumity]

Louis Le Vau (1612-1670) was a French Baroque architect, whose works include the Hôtel Lambert, the Château de Versailles, the Château de Vincennes, Vaux-le-Vicomte, the Louvre Palace, the Collège des Quatre-Nations.

[steviedegrae]

Built between 1658 and 1661 for Nicolas Fouquet, The Superintendent of Finances of Louis XIV, the château was an influential work of architecture in mid-17th-century Europe. At Vaux-le-Vicomte, the architect Louis Le Vau, the landscape architect André Le Nôtre and the painter-decorator Charles Le Brun worked together on a large-scale project for the first time. Their collaboration marked the beginning of the Louis XIV style combining architecture, interior design and landscape design. The garden's pronounced visual axis is an example of this style.

HISTORY

Once a small château between the royal residences of Vincennes and Fontainebleau, the estate of Vaux-le-Vicomte was purchased in 1641 by Nicolas Fouquet, an ambitious 26-year-old member of the Parlement of Paris. Fouquet was an avid patron of the arts, attracting many artists with his generosity.

When Fouquet became King Louis XIV's Superintendent of Finances in 1656, he commissioned Le Vau, Le Brun and Le Nôtre to renovate his estate and garden to match his grand ambition. Fouquet's artistic and cultivated personality subsequently brought out the best in the three.

To secure the necessary grounds for the elaborate plans for Vaux-le-Vicomte's garden and castle, Fouquet purchased and demolished three villages. The displaced villagers were then employed in the upkeep and maintenance of the gardens. It was said to have employed 18 thousand workers and cost as much as 16 million livres.

The château and its patron became for a short time a focus for fine feasts, literature and arts. The fabulist and poet Jean de La Fontaine and the playwright Molière were among the artists close to Fouquet. At the inauguration of Vaux-le-Vicomte, a Molière play was performed, along with a dinner event organized by François Vatel and an impressive firework show.

Fête and arrest

Colbert

The château was lavish, refined and dazzling to behold, but those characteristics proved tragic for its owner: the king had Fouquet arrested shortly after a famous fête that took place on 17 August 1661, where Molière's play 'Les Fâcheux' debuted. The celebration had been too impressive and the superintendent's home too luxurious. Fouquet's intentions were to flatter the king: part of Vaux-le-Vicomte was actually constructed specifically for the king, but Fouquet's plan backfired. Jean-Baptiste Colbert led the king to believe that his minister's magnificence was funded by the misappropriation of public funds. Colbert, who then replaced Fouquet as superintendent of finances, arrested him. Later, Voltaire was to sum up the famous fête: "On 17 August, at six in the evening Fouquet was the King of France: at two in the morning he was nobody." La Fontaine wrote describing the fête and shortly afterwards penned his Elégie aux nymphes de Vaux.

After Fouquet

After Fouquet was arrested and imprisoned for life and his wife exiled, Vaux-le-Vicomte was placed under sequestration. The king seized, confiscated or purchased 120 tapestries, the statues and all the orange trees from Vaux-le-Vicomte. He then sent the team of artists (Le Vau, Le Nôtre and Le Brun) to design what would be a much larger project than Vaux-le-Vicomte, the palace and gardens of Versailles.

Madame Fouquet recovered her property 10 years later and retired there with her eldest son. In 1705, after the death of her husband and son, she decided to put Vaux-le-Vicomte up for sale.

Bottom line: Never make a King jealous. 🤢😅

Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte, France (by John O'Daly)

[travellogfrance]

Vaux-le-Vicomte

Next on the itinerary is the Vaux-le-Vicomte. 1661, August 17th another impressive estate located in France. Excitement is buzzing in the air as crowds gather for the fireworks show that is going to begin soon. The day is coming to an end after exploring the remarkable chateau and walking the vast gardens. The Vaux-le-vicomte was a project of Nicolas Fouquet beginning in 1641, Fouquet was the superintendent of finance for France, who was from a wealthy family of parliamentarians (“Nicolas Fouquet”). Being the superintendent of finance was a highly esteemed title and coming from a good family meant Nicolas Fouquet was an impressive figure in French society. He had much success in his social endeavors that allowed him to make connections such figures as Louis XIV. 

Nicolas Fouquet hired Charles Le Brun a painter, Andre Le Notre as the landscape gardener and Louis Le Vau an architect. (“Nicolas Fouquet”). By hiring such highly skilled individuals on the construction, the Vaux-le-vicomte was destined to be an architectural achievement of the time. A perspective view from the front of the Chateau gave way to a large entrance court, where many types of nobles could be seen gathering and socializing (Sylvestre). This view that was engraved captured a true likeness of the chateau. The gardens and walkways stretched with the land with fountains surrounding all sides. The building itself is enormous with many large windows and one singular large tower in the middle. It is truly fit for a king, Although Nicolas Fouquet was just the finance superintendent, who owned the chateau that came with the prestige. It was said that King Louis was so impressed with the Vaux-le-Vicomte that he got in touch with the same designers for a project of his own in Versailles (“Nicolas Fouquet”). Perhaps the King felt overshadowed by Fouquet’s chateau and thinks it necessary to build something grander to remind everyone that he is the one with the most expensive and impressive estates to show power and assert dominance.

[tigermike]

🏰🇫🇷Located fifty kilometres southeast of Paris, Vaux-le-Vicomte Castle was built in five years (1656 to 1661). Louis Le Vau was the architect of this castle.

~~

📸 Unknown

~~

💡 Did you know this? Famous films were shot at the castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte such as Angelique and the Roy (1966), La Folie des Grandeur (1971) or James Bond: Moonraker (1979).

[nicolleu]

Versalles (2015)

El Palacio de Versalles, situado en las afueras de París, es más que un simple edificio; es un símbolo poderoso de la monarquía francesa y una joya de la arquitectura del siglo XVII. Su historia comienza en 1623, cuando Luis XIII decidió construir un pequeño pabellón de caza en el bosque de Versalles. Sin embargo, sería su hijo, Luis XIV, quien llevaría este lugar a nuevas alturas, convirtiéndolo en un palacio deslumbrante que reflejaba su poder absoluto y la grandeza de la corte francesa.

A partir de 1661, Luis XIV emprendió una ambiciosa serie de ampliaciones y remodelaciones, haciendo de Versalles el epicentro del poder político, cultural y social de Francia. Con la ayuda del arquitecto Louis Le Vau y del paisajista André Le Nôtre, no solo se erigió un palacio impresionante, sino también majestuosos jardines que se extendían por 800 hectáreas. La famosa Galería de los Espejos, adornada con 357 espejos y candelabros, se convirtió en un símbolo del esplendor del rey.

Versalles no solo fue un hogar, sino también el escenario de momentos cruciales en la historia. En 1789, la Revolución Francesa obligó a la familia real a abandonar el palacio, marcando el fin de una era. Más tarde, en 1919, el Tratado de Versalles se firmó en el salón de la Paz, poniendo fin a la Primera Guerra Mundial y simbolizando el renacer de una Europa en reconstrucción.

[famousinuniverse]

Château de Versailles

The Palace of Versailles is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about 19 kilometers west of Paris, France

Address: Place d'Armes, 78000 Versailles

From royal residences to the palace of versailles

Until the official inauguration of the Palace of Versailles on 6 May 1682, the royal court often changed locations. Louis XIV and his courtiers were based in the Louvre Palace, then the Tuileries, alternating with stints at the Châteaux of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Vincennes, Fontainebleau and the rapidly-growing Versailles. The task of building and decorating the ultimate royal residence was entrusted to artists such as André Le Nôtre, Louis Le Vau, Charles Le Brun and Jules Hardouin-Mansart. In 1678 work began on the Hall of Mirrors, the most potent symbol of the King’s absolute power. With enough room to house the whole court, the Palace and its surrounding buildings rapidly became symbols of an age when the nobility were prepared to go to any lengths to be close to the King, who respected the royal tradition whereby the monarch had to be accessible to his courtiers. Under the sovereign’s watchful eye, the nobility could no longer plot against the throne; the great lords were kept in their place in the army or at court, eager to serve and please the King. Intimidating, majestic, kept informed by an army of spies, the king controlled everything. 

A royal art-lover

Reception of Le Grand Conde at Versailles by Jean-Leon Gerome, 1878.

Louis XIV as Apollo in the Ballet Royal de la Nuit (1653)

The King cultivated a broad variety of interests and excelled in numerous fields, such as music (he played the guitar), dance (performing in ballets), and horse-riding (Louis XIV was an excellent rider). He also loved hunting, promenades, fencing, shows and parlour games, and was a great fan of billiards. He surrounded himself with the leading artists and writers of his day, including Molière, Lully and Racine. At the Palace of Versailles he staged the finest comedies, operas and tragedies and organised spectacular parties.

king by divine right

At the start of his reign, before turning to more political allegories, Louis XIV chose the sun as his personal emblem. The sun is the symbol of Apollo, god of peace and the arts; it is also the star which gives life to all things, rising and setting with unfailing regularity. Like the god, Louis XIV was a warrior fighting to restore peace; he was also a patron of the arts and the source of all privileges. Though the unstinting regularity of his life and with the public getting-up and going-to-bed ceremonies, he hammered home the symbolic parallels. The Palace of Versailles is replete with representations and allegorical allusions to the sun god (laurel wreathes, lyres, tripods) combined with royal portraits and emblems.

An absolute monarchy

As sovereign by divine right, the King was God’s representative on earth. It is in this respect that his power was “absolute”, which in Latin means literally ‘free of all restraints’: the king was answerable to no one but God. During his coronation, Louis XIV swore to defend the Catholic faith. To honour this pledge and preserve the religious unity of his kingdom, he cracked down on the Jansenists of Port-Royal and ordered the persecution of Protestants. The previous policy of religious tolerance was abandoned with the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. Protestants were forced to convert, and over two hundred thousand fled the country. From his base in Versailles, Louis XIV ruled over a centralised, absolutist state which revolved entirely around him. The King lived in the main wing of the palace, on the first floor, in a suite of three apartments reserved for his use. He applied a strict etiquette at court, a set of rules and protocols by which his noble courtiers were obliged to abide. With the help of Colbert, he oversaw the administrative and financial reorganisation of his realm, and also set up manufactures and worked to boost trade. With Louvois he reformed the army and enjoyed a string of military victories. 

louis xiv and his women

Louis XIV’s love of women is well-known. Throughout his life, he had a number of mistresses including the Marquise de Montespan and the Duchess of La Vallière, both of whom bore him several legitimated children.

Louis XIV had a real eye for the ladies.

Marie Mancini, the first heartbreak of Louis XIV - Mancini by Jacob Ferdinand Voet, Rijksmuseum

His first love, Marie Mancini, was Mazarin’s niece but both the cardinal and Anne of Austria were vehemently opposed to this union, and the brief encounter between the King and the princess on 22 June 1659 was their last before she was banished from the court into exile.

Maria Theresa of Austria

The King agreed to marry the Spanish Infanta, Maria Theresa of Austria, on 9 June 1660, in accordance with the Treaty of the Pyrenees, which ended the Franco-Spanish war.

First official mistress of louis xiv 1644 - 1710

Jean Nocret, Louise-Françoise de la Baume le Blanc, duchesse of La Vallière and Vaujours

Louis XIV’s first official mistress, Louise de La Vallière, lived at Court from 1661 to 1674. She bore the king four children, two of whom survived and were legitimised: Marie-Anne de Bourbon, known as Mademoiselle de Blois, and Louis, Count of Vermandois.

Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart, marquise of Montespan and her children, anonymous

© Château de Versailles, Dist. RMN / © Christophe Fouin

The Marquise de Montespan was next to succumb to the royal charm, during the Flanders campaign in 1667, and the following year the Great Royal Entertainment at Versailles was unofficially held in her honour. It was not long before she moved into a prestigious apartment that was directly connected to her lover’s. Exquisitely decorated by d’Orbay, it was even more spacious than the Queen’s apartment. The King also gave her Clagny palace, which became the home of the numerous children she had with the king – six legitimate children in all. She was ousted by Mademoiselle de Fontanges, a young beauty barely 20 years old, whose relationship with the King turned out to be only brief.

The governess to Madame de Montespan’s children, Françoise d’Aubigné, who later became Madame de Maintenon in 1675, was next to win the King’s heart with her sweetness and charm. Following the death of Maria Theresa, she married the King of France in secret during the night of 9 to 10 October 1683, in the presence of Louvois and de Bontemps. According to Princess Palatine: “In any case, what is certain is that the King has never been so passionate about any mistress as he is about her [Madame de Maintenon]; it is a rather curious thing to see them together.”

Françoise d'Aubigné, marquise of Maintenon (1635-1719), and her niece, Louis Elle le Jeune

Official mistresses (maîtresse-en-titre)

1661–1667: Louise de La Vallière (1644–1710), duchess of Vaujours

1667–1681: Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart (1640–1707), marquise of Montespan

1678–1681: Marie Angélique de Scoraille de Roussille (1661–1681), duchess of Fontanges

1683–1715: Françoise d'Aubigné (1635–1719), marquise of Maintenon. Not really a mistress but a secret morganatic wife

Unofficial mistresses (petite maîtresse)

Catherine Bellier (1614–1689) baroness of Beauvais, between 1652–1654

Olympe Mancini (1638–1708) in 1654–1657 and 1660-1661

Anne-Madeleine de Conty d'Argencourt in 1658

Marie Mancini (1639–1715) in 1658–1659; not a mistress but a platonic love

Name unknown: a gardener's daughter who gave birth to a daughter in 1660

Henrietta Anne of England (1644–1670) his sister-in-law, probably platonic, in 1660–1661

Bonne de Pons d'Heudicourt (1641–1709) in 1665

Catherine-Charlotte de Gramont (1639–1678) princess of Monaco in 1665

Gabrielle de Rochechouart de Mortemart (1633–1693), marquise of Thianges; sister of madame de Montespan

Anne de Rohan-Chabot (1648–1709), princess of Soubise, on-and-off in 1669–1675

Claude de Vin des Œillets (c. 1637 – 1687) in 1670–1676

Diane-Gabrielle de Damas de Thianges (1656-1715) in 1670–1673; daughter of madame de Thianges and niece of madame de Montespan

Lydie de Rochefort-Théobon (1638-1708) in 1673–1677

Isabelle de Ludres (1647–1722) in 1675–1678

Marie-Charlotte de Castelnau, comtesse de Louvigny et duchesse de Gramont (c. 1648 – 1694) in 1676–1677

Marie-Madeleine Agnès de Gontaut Biron, marquise de Nogaret (1653–1724) in 1680–1683

Louise-Elisabeth Rouxel dite Mme de Grancey (1653–1711) in 1681

Jeanne de Rouvroy, marquise de Chevrières (1650–1689) in 1681

Françoise Thérèse de Voyer de Dorée, Mlle d’Oré, in 1681

Marie-Antoinette de Rouvroy, comtesse d’Oisy (1660–1721) in 1681

Marie-Rosalie de Piennes, future marquise de Châtillon (1665–1735) in 1681

Mme de Saint-Martin in 1682

Marie-Louise de Montmorency-Laval, duchesse de Roquelaure (1657–1735) in 1683

Julie de Guenami, dite Mlle de Châteaubriant (1668–1710) in 1683 (possibly only a rumour)

Death of Louis XIV

Thomas Jones Henry Barker, “The Death of Louis XIV at the Palace of Versailles” (ca. 1835–40) (Saint-Quentin, musée Antoine Lécuyer © DR)

Death of Louis XIV (September 1, 1715, Palace of Versailles, Versailles)

After 72 years on the throne, Louis XIV died on 1 September 1715. He was buried in the Saint-Denis Basilica, and the throne passed to his great-grandson Louis XV, aged five.

Louis XIV continues to embody the Grand Siècle, synonymous with the splendour of Versailles and the glory of France.

Jardins du Château de Versailles, Versailles, France | Eric Pouhier

[francepittoresque]

15 décembre 1686 : mort de Daniel Gittard, architecte de Louis XIV ➽ http://bit.ly/Daniel-Gittard Architecte du roi à 30 ans, quatrième des huit architectes qui composent l’Académie d’architecture lors de sa fondation par Colbert, le 31 décembre 1671, Daniel Gittard s’illustre notamment dans la construction de l’hôtel de la Meilleraye, de la maison de Lully et du choeur de l’église Saint-Sulpice à Paris, mais également des fortifications du château de Belle-Ile acheté par Fouquet, succédant dans cette oeuvre-ci au célèbre Le Vau

[waldires]

Garden Elevation of Louis Le Vau's Envelope, 1674

[the-mandolorian]

On my bucket list. The Palace of Versailles is an opulent palace built by Louis XIV that contains seven hundred rooms, extensive gardens, and lavish decoration. Initially a small hunting lodge built by his father, Louis XIV transformed Versailles with four intensive building campaigns over his reign. The formal aesthetic of the palace was meant to glorify France and show the power and greatness of the self- proclaimed ‘Sun King,' Louis XIV.

The architect for the palace was Louis Le Vau, the interior decorator was Charles Le Brun, and the landscape designer was Andre Le Notre. In 1682 Versailles was transformed into the official residence of the king.

The Palace of Versailles was executed in the French Baroque style by architect Louis Le Vau, a French Classical architect. French Baroque architectural style is characterized by its large curved forms, twisted columns, high domes, and complicated shapes. In comparison to the Baroque architecture of the rest of Europe, it is commonly thought to be more restrained and characterized by its mixture of lavish details on symmetrical and orderly buildings.

Charles le Brun was the interior decorator for the Palace of Versailles as well as "first painter to his majesty. " Louis XIV declared him the "greatest painter of all time," and Le Brun worked on such notable features of the palace as the ‘Halls of War and Peace,' the ‘Ambassadors' Staircase,' and the ‘Great Hall of Mirrors. ' Interior design from this period is known as ‘Louis XIV-style,' originated by Le Brun, and characterized by red and gold richly-woven fabrics or brocades, heavy gilded plaster molding, large sculpted side boards, and heavy marbling .

[vivelafranceblog]

Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre)

Museum in Paris

The Louvre, or the Louvre Museum, is a national art museum in Paris, France. It is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement and home to some of the most canonical works of Western art, including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo.

Departments: Librairie-Boutique du Musée du Louvre

Address: 75001 Paris

Founded: August 10, 1793

Architects: Louis Le Vau, Pierre Lescot, Claude Perrault

Director: Laurence des Cars

Date completed: 1793

Visitors: 8.9 million (2023): Ranked 1st nationally; Ranked 1st globally in 2022

Phone: 01 40 20 53 17

Curator: Marie-Laure de Rochebrune

Louvre - Wikipedia

Le Louvre, Paris by sir20