iarc blog: Reading Response 8:French Flair

The Palace of Versailles

The Baroque period marked the change of rules in art and architecture from those of the Renaissance by using massive scale, elaborate decorations, "taming" the landscape, and by transforming surfaces, space, and form into grandiose theatricality. The Palace of Versailles may be the best example of the French Baroque, with the sprawling chateau and extensive, elaborately controlled gardens that not only contain vegetation, but also feature statuary and water features as theater.

fountain~gardens~reflecting pool

fountain at night~reflective light

"room" in the garden

The gardens and parks of Versailles are so strictly designed that they become extensions of the architecture of the palace. Each space carved out of the parks and gardens is treated similarly to an interior room. Like the palace, the grounds are laid out on an east/west axis that indicates the path of the sun. The reiteration of the sun's path helps to enforce Louis IVX's persona as the Sun King. The layout and containment of the gardens is meant to display his power and control over nature.

intricately patterned gardens confined to their borders

The Palace of Versailles exemplifies the Baroque ideal of "spare no expense" in the opulence of the decoration of the interior. One of the best known spaces within the palace is the Hall of Mirrors. The Hall of Mirrors is flanked by the Salon of War and the Salon of Peace. At the time of its design and construction, full length mirrors were rare and very costly, but the hall in Versailles is covered with them.

notice the floor-to-ceiling mirrors

The Hall of Mirrors reflects the gardens of Versailles, but more importantly reflects the sun, which further reinforces the theme of the Sun King. Additionally, enormous chandeliers with crystal prisms and the reflective gilt used in the room all coordinate the process of reflection.