Louis-Philippe and Versailles.
Somogy| N° d'inventaire | 22987 |
| Format | 24 x 30 |
| Détails | 434 p., bound. |
| Publication | Paris, 2018 |
| Etat | Nine |
| ISBN | 9782757213612 |
From the beginning of his reign, Louis-Philippe decided to transform the Palace of Versailles and open it to all. He understood that the Versailles of Louis XIV was a myth that could only be preserved by becoming a museum dedicated "to all the glories of France," as indicated by the inscription on the pediments of the pavilions. A tireless worker, the king followed the work of his architect Frédéric Nepveu for fifteen years. Around the royal residence, in the heart of the palace, in the North and South wings, work has given rise to Historical Galleries devoted to the battles of the Middle Ages, the Crusades, the Wars of the Revolution and the Empire, and the conquest of Algeria. A thousand stories draw a history, because instead of denying the past, Louis-Philippe encouraged dialogue: the new Versailles responds to that of Louis XIV, opposing the Gallery of Battles to the Hall of Mirrors and rivaling in sumptuousness and decorative richness. Passionate about all technical innovations, the king did not hesitate to introduce metal structures into 17th-century architecture, in order to illuminate the immense galleries with skylights: the Gallery of Battles or the African Rooms. Eclectic, complex, and arbitrary in its choices, Louis-Philippe's Versailles is the one we know today.
From the beginning of his reign, Louis-Philippe decided to transform the Palace of Versailles and open it to all. He understood that the Versailles of Louis XIV was a myth that could only be preserved by becoming a museum dedicated "to all the glories of France," as indicated by the inscription on the pediments of the pavilions. A tireless worker, the king followed the work of his architect Frédéric Nepveu for fifteen years. Around the royal residence, in the heart of the palace, in the North and South wings, work has given rise to Historical Galleries devoted to the battles of the Middle Ages, the Crusades, the Wars of the Revolution and the Empire, and the conquest of Algeria. A thousand stories draw a history, because instead of denying the past, Louis-Philippe encouraged dialogue: the new Versailles responds to that of Louis XIV, opposing the Gallery of Battles to the Hall of Mirrors and rivaling in sumptuousness and decorative richness. Passionate about all technical innovations, the king did not hesitate to introduce metal structures into 17th-century architecture, in order to illuminate the immense galleries with skylights: the Gallery of Battles or the African Rooms. Eclectic, complex, and arbitrary in its choices, Louis-Philippe's Versailles is the one we know today.