Petit appartement du roi
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The ''petit appartement du roi'' () of the Palace of Versailles is a suite of rooms used by
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ve ...
,
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reache ...
, and Louis XVI. Located on the first floor of the palace, the rooms are found in the oldest part of the palace dating from the reign of
Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown ...
. Under
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
, these rooms housed the king's collections of artworks and books, forming a museum of sorts. Under
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
and
Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...
, the rooms were modified to accommodate private living quarters. At this time, the rooms were transformed and their decoration represent some of the finest extant examples of the
Louis XV style The Louis XV style or ''Louis Quinze'' (, ) is a style of architecture and decorative arts which appeared during the reign of Louis XV. From 1710 until about 1730, a period known as the Régence, it was largely an extension of the Louis XIV style ...
and
Louis XVI style Louis XVI style, also called ''Louis Seize'', is a style of architecture, furniture, decoration and art which developed in France during the 19-year reign of Louis XVI (1774–1793), just before the French Revolution. It saw the final phase of t ...
at Versailles (Kimball, 1943).


Louis XIV

Beginning in 1678,
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
began to modify these rooms for his particular private needs. The configuration of the rooms dating from the time of
Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown ...
was modified. The most significant alteration for this era was the relocation of the ''degré du roi'' from the exterior ''cour de marbre'' to the interior ''cour du roi''. This relocation of the staircase precipitated the rearrangement of rooms in this part of the château to become the ''petit appartement du roi''. In 1684, as the influence of Louis’ mistress – Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan – waned due to her alleged involvement in the
Affair of the Poisons An affair is a sexual relationship, romantic friendship, or passionate attachment in which at least one of its participants has a formal or informal commitment to a third person who may neither agree to such relationship nor even be aware of ...
, the king attached her rooms to his ''petit appartement'' after the marquise moved into the ''appartement des bains'' on the ground floor of the palace (Le Guillou, 1986; Verlet 1985, pp. 227–228). In Louis XIV's day, these rooms – '' cabinets de curiosités'' – formed a veritable museum for the king's private collections. In contrast to the '' grand appartement du roi'' and the '' appartement du roi'', which were open to members of the court and the general public, the ''petit appartement du roi'' was only accessible though the personal consent of the king (Bluche, 1991). Located on the first floor on the northern side of the ''cour de marbre'', the ''petit appartement du roi'' comprised nine rooms: * ''Salle du billard'' (''cabinet des chiens'') * ''Salon du degré du roi'' * ''Cabinet aux tableaux'' * ''Cabinet des Coquilles'' (later ''cabinet des livres'') * ''Salon ovale'' * ''Premier salon de la petite galerie'' * ''Petite galerie'' * ''Deuxième salon de la petite galerie'' * ''Cabinet des Médailles'' The ''salle du billiard'' (1693 plan #1) contained a billiard table, a game at which
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
was adept. Additionally, the king kept several of his hunting dogs in this room so that he could care for them personally, which gave rise to the room's other name: ''cabinet des chiens'' (Verlet 1985, p. 227). The ''salon du degré du roi'' (1693 plan #2) occupies the site of a staircase dating from the time of
Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown ...
. By 1684 (Dangeau), a new staircase – the ''degré du roi'' (1693 plan #3) – had been constructed just north of the old staircase in the ''cour du roi''. The ''salon du degré du roi'' served as entrance to the staircase that was reserved for the Louis XIV's personal use. The decoration of this room was given over almost exclusively to paintings by Nicolas Poussin (Félibien, 66; Piganiole de la Force, 126) The ''cabinet aux tableaux'' (1693 plan #4) with its southern exposure served as a Pinacotheca for part of Louis XIV's collection of paintings. Among the masters displayed in the room were the works from the Italian schools by
Correggio Antonio Allegri da Correggio (August 1489 – 5 March 1534), usually known as just Correggio (, also , , ), was the foremost painter of the Parma school of the High Italian Renaissance, who was responsible for some of the most vigorous and sens ...
,
Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual a ...
,
Giorgione Giorgione (, , ; born Giorgio Barbarelli da Castelfranco; 1477–78 or 1473–74 – 17 September 1510) was an Italian painter of the Venetian school during the High Renaissance, who died in his thirties. He is known for the elusive poetic quali ...
,
Giulio Romano Giulio Romano (, ; – 1 November 1546), is the acquired name of Giulio Pippi, who was an Italian painter and architect. He was a pupil of Raphael, and his stylistic deviations from High Renaissance classicism help define the sixteenth-cent ...
and
Titian Tiziano Vecelli or Vecellio (; 27 August 1576), known in English as Titian ( ), was an Italian (Venetian) painter of the Renaissance, considered the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, nea ...
. Additionally, there were cabinets arranged in the room in which
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
kept his collection of carved rock crystal (Brejon de Lavergnée, 1985; Félibien, 67; Piganiole de la Force, 129; Verlet 1985, p. 229). In 1692, the ''cabinet des coquilles'' (1693 plan #5) and the ''salon ovale'' (1693 plan #6) were created. These rooms, along with ''cabinet des médailles'' formed the main rooms of the Louis XIV's '' cabinets de curiosités''. In addition to some of the most highly prized paintings of the royal collection, the ''salon ovale'' housed in four niches four bronze sculptural groups – “Jupiter” and “Juno” by Allesandro Algardi; the “Abduction of
Orithyia In Greek mythology, Orithyia or Oreithyia (; el, Ὠρείθυια ''Ōreithuia''; la, Ōrīthyia) was the name of the following women: *Orithyia or Orythya, the Nereid of raging seas and one of the 50 marine-nymph daughters of the 'Old Man of th ...
” after the marble by Gaspard Marsy, and the “Abduction of
Persephone In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Persephone ( ; gr, Περσεφόνη, Persephónē), also called Kore or Cora ( ; gr, Κόρη, Kórē, the maiden), is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She became the queen of the underworld after ...
” by
François Girardon François Girardon (10 March 1628 – 1 September 1715) was a French sculptor of the Louis XIV style or French Baroque, best known for his statues and busts of Louis XIV and for his statuary in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. Biograph ...
– that were esteemed as some of the finest of this genre in the king's collection. The richness of the decoration – fully gilt paneling and mirrors – complemented the arrangement of some of the most valuable paintings in Louis XIV's collection (Félibien, 67; Piganiole de la Force, 129; Verlet 1985, p. 229). The ''cabinet des coquilles'' originally housed some a portion of the king's gem collection. In 1708, the room was converted into a library – ''cabinet aux livres'' – in which
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
kept his collection of rare books and manuscripts (Verlet 1985, p. 230). The following rooms – ''premier salon de la petite galerie'', ''petite galerie'', and ''deuxième salon de la petite galerie'' (1693 plan #7, 8, & 9) – were formed from rooms that the marquise de Montespan occupied before she moved to the ''appartement des bains'' in 1684 (Dangeau vol. 1 77–78; Verlet 1985, p. 232). As with the previous rooms, the ''petite galerie'' and its two salons housed precious gems and paintings that the king had either inherited or collected. In the years that preceded the War of the League of Augsburg,
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
engaged in an aggressive collecting campaign that necessitated his expanding space at Versailles to display newly acquired works of art (Verlet 1985, p. 229).
Pierre Mignard Pierre Mignard or Pierre Mignard I (17 November 1612 – 30 May 1695), called "Mignard le Romain" to distinguish him from his brother Nicolas Mignard, was a French painter known for his religious and mythological scenes and portraits. He was ...
, Charles Le Brun's archrival was charged with the painting of the ceilings of the ''petite galerie'' and its two salons (Félibien, 68; Piganiole de la Force, 140; Verlet 1985, p. 233). In the ''petite galerie'' and its two salons,
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
displayed many of the most valued paintings in his collection. The ''petite galerie'' was given almost entirely to works by Italian masters with the works by
Francesco Albani Francesco Albani or Albano (17 March or 17 August 1578 – 4 October 1660) was an Italian Baroque painter who was active in Bologna (1591–1600), Rome (1600–1609), Bologna (1609), Viterbo (1609–1610), Bologna (1610), Rome (1610–1617) ...
, Annibale Carracci, Guido Reni and
Parmigianino Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola (11 January 150324 August 1540), also known as Francesco Mazzola or, more commonly, as Parmigianino (, , ; "the little one from Parma"), was an Italian Mannerist painter and printmaker active in Florence, Rome, B ...
predominating (Piganiole de la Force, 141–149; Verlet 1985, p. 234). The ''petite galerie'' also housed the collection of gifts
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
received from foreign embassies; most notable among these diplomatic offerings were the gifts from the Chinese Jesuit, Shen Fu-Tsung (1684), which included an enormous pearl, and the gifts from the Siamese Embassy of 1685-1686 (Josephson, 1926). The ''premier salon de la petite galerie'' is of particular importance as it was in this room that
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
kept the painting described by Piganiole de la Force as “Le Portrait de Vie, femme d’un Florentin nommé Giaconde,” better known in English as '' The Mona Lisa'' (Piganiole de la Force, 137).
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
lavished much attention to these rooms intending to have the walls clad with panels inlaid with tortoise shell and lapis-lazuli. However, owing to the financial demands of the War of the League of Augsburg, the plans were abandoned. Nevertheless, the ''petite gallerie'' and its two salons were used by
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
for entertaining foreign dignitaries, such as the Crown Prince of Denmark in 1693 and the Elector of Cologne in 1706 (Verlet 1985, p. 233-234). Of all the rooms that formed the ''petit apartment du roi'' during the reign of
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
, the ''cabinet des médailles'' (1693 plan #10) was one of the most remarkable of its sort ever assembled in France (Hulftegger, 1954). Taking its name from the 12 cabinets in which Louis XIV's numismatic collections were kept, the ''cabinet des medailles'' also housed the king's collections of miniatures by Flemish, Dutch, and German masters, objects of carved porphyry and carved jade, as well as those rare items made of silver or gold (Verlet 1985, p. 230-232). Forming part of Louis XIV's collection of items made of gold was the treasure of the Merovingian king,
Childeric I Childeric I (; french: Childéric; la, Childericus; reconstructed Frankish: ''*Hildirīk''; – 481 AD) was a Frankish leader in the northern part of imperial Roman Gaul and a member of the Merovingian dynasty, described as a king (Latin ''re ...
found in Tournai in 1653 and presented to
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
by the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I in 1665 (Cochet, 1859) and the gold and jewel encrusted nef, which was used by
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
when he dined ''au grand couvert''.


Louis XV – 1740

After the return of the king and court to Versailles in 1722, life assumed a rhythm similar to that under
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
. The young
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
occupied his great-grandfather's bedroom, the '' chambre de Louis XIV'', where the ceremonies of the daily ''lever'' and ''coucher'' were executed with the same exacting precision as during the reign of the
Sun King , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
. However, owing to the discomfort of the room in winter – its size and eastern exposure made it difficult, if not impossible, to heat –
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
was compelled to establish his bedroom elsewhere (Verlet 313–314). In 1738,
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
ordered a new bedroom – ''chambre de Louis XV'' (1740 plan #4) – constructed on the site of Louis XIV's ''salle du billard'', which was enlarged to the north into the ''cour du roi'' to accommodate an alcove for the bed (Verlet 1985, p. 444-447). In the same year, the ''degré du roi'' was demolished and a new staircase was built just north of the old location. A new room was constructed on the site formerly occupied by the ''degré du roi'' of
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
, the ''antichambre des chiens'' (Verlet 1985, p. 442). As with his great-grandfather in his ''cabinet des chiens'',
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
kept some of his hunting dogs in this room. Further modifications of the ''petit appartement du roi'' at this time included the creation of the ''salon des pendules'' and the ''cabinet intérieur''. These rooms were created when the ''salon du degré du roi'' and the ''cabinet aux tableaux'' of
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
were destroyed (Le Guillou, 1985). The ''salon des pendules'' (1740 plan #3) (also called the ''salon ovale'' due to its elliptic shape) was given this name due to the dials arranged in the apsidal recess of the eastern wall that showed the times of the rising and setting of the sun and the moon (Verlet 1985, p. 450). The ''cabinet intérieur'' (1740 plan #4) served a number of purposes: it housed part of
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
numismatic collection and collection of miniature paintings; it served as a dining room; and, it served as a workroom. Of all the rooms of the ''petit appartement du roi'' during the reign of
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
, this was perhaps one of the most richly decorated and opulently appointed (Verlet 1985, p. 452). The ''cabinet des livres'', ''salon ovale'' of
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
, the ''peite galerie'' with its two salons, and the ''cabinet des médailles'' were retained (1740 plan #6, 7, 8, & 9). By 1740, the ''petit appartement du roi'' had expanded to such an extent into the ''cour du roi'' that the eastern part of this courtyard became a separate courtyard. This new courtyard was called the ''cour intérieur du roi'' (1740 plan II) and the ''cour du roi'' was renamed ''cour des cerfs''. This new name was due to the two dozen sculpted deer heads that
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
ordered placed on the walls of the courtyard (Verlet 1985, p. 457).


Louis XV – 1760

The modifications of the late 1750s of the ''petit appartement du roi'' were in response to a general reorganization of the apartments in the ''corps de logis'' of the château and the destruction of the escalier des ambassadeurs (1740 plan #10). To accommodate a new apartment for his daughter,
Madame Adélaïde Marie Adélaïde de France, (23 March 1732 – 27 February 1800) was a French princess, the sixth child and fourth daughter of King Louis XV and Queen Marie. As a legitimate daughter of the King, Adélaïde was a ''fille de France''. She wa ...
,
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
ordered the construction of rooms on the same floor as the ''petit appartement du roi''. This new apartment occupied space that had been the ''petite galerie'' and the two salons as well as new space created by the suppression of the escalier des ambassadeurs (1760 plan #9). The most significant modifications to the ''petit apartment du roi'' at this time were the relocation of the ''degré du roi'' (1760 plan #4), the construction of the ''salle à manger des retours de chasses'' (1750) (1760 plan #5), and the ''pièce des buffets'' (1754) (1760 plan #6) (Verlet 1985, p. 473-474). The ''salle à manger des retours de chasses'' was built upon the site of Louis XV's bath (1740 plan g) when the king wanted a dining room on the first floor in which he could entertain a small group of friends, most frequently after hunting (Bluche, 2000; Marie, 1984). The decoration of the ''salle à manger des retours de chasses'' incorporated paneling and decorative elements from the ''salon du billard'' of
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
(Verlet 1985, p. 442-443). This era during which
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
decorated the ''petit appartement du roi'' was significant in the evolution of French decorative styles of the 18th century. Many of these rooms represent some of the finest examples of the
Louis XV style The Louis XV style or ''Louis Quinze'' (, ) is a style of architecture and decorative arts which appeared during the reign of Louis XV. From 1710 until about 1730, a period known as the Régence, it was largely an extension of the Louis XIV style ...
. Of the rooms of the ''appartement du roi'', the ''salon des pendules'' is one of the most significant. With paneling by Jacques Verberckt, the room was furnished with chairs and table and served for gaming parties hosted by
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
(Verlet 1985, p. 449). However, it would the delivery of 1754 that would set this room apart from others. In January of that year,
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
had brought from the château de Choisy and placed in this room the famed mechanical clock. The clock, which was designed by the engineer, Claude-Simon Passemant, clockmaker Louis Dauthiau, and set in an ormolu case by Philippe Caffieri, was a marvel of its day. Taking 12 years to complete, the clock is surmounted by a crystal sphere in which a mechanical armillary sphere – after the
Copernic Copernic Inc. is a company based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, producer of Copernic Desktop Search and Copernic Server Search, desktop search software for home and business, running on Microsoft Windows. There is a free edition and paid editions ...
model – operated. The time, days of the week, months of the year (even calculating for bissextile years), and year were accurately displayed. On account of this clock, the room received the definitive name, ''salon de la pendule'' (1760 plan #2) (Kuraszewski, 1976; Verlet 1985, p. 450). By 1760, the ''cabinet intérieur'' (1760 plan #7) had become to be also known as the'' bureau du roi'' and this room came best to represent not only the personal taste of
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
, but it also stands as one of the finest examples of the ''
style Louis XV The Louis XV style or ''Louis Quinze'' (, ) is a style of architecture and decorative arts which appeared during the reign of Louis XV. From 1710 until about 1730, a period known as the Régence, it was largely an extension of the Louis XIV style ...
''. In 1755, the cabinetmaker
Gilles Joubert Gilles Joubert (1689–1775) was a Parisian ''ébéniste'' who worked for the ''Garde-Meuble'' of Louis XV for two and a half decades, beginning in 1748, earning the title ''ébéniste ordinaire du Garde-Meuble'' in 1758, and finally that of ''éb ...
delivered two corner cabinets, complementing those by Antoine-Robert Gaudreau, which had been delivered in 1739, to house numismatic record of Louis XV's reign (Verlet 1985, p. 452). In 1769, the mechanical
roll-top desk A rolltop desk is a 19th-century reworking of the pedestal desk with, in addition, a series of stacked compartments, shelves, drawers and nooks in front of the user, much like the bureau à gradin or the Carlton House desk. In contrast to these, ...
by
Jean-François Oeben Jean-François Oeben, or Johann Franz Oeben (9 October 1721 Heinsberg near Aachen – Paris 21 January 1763) was a German ébéniste (cabinetmaker) whose career was spent in Paris. He was the maternal grandfather of the painter Eugène Delacroix. ...
was delivered (Verlet 1985, p. 454). With the evolution of the ''cabinet intérieur'',
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
also pursued the construction of his ''arrière cabinet'' (1760 plan #8). In suppressing the ''cabinet des livres'' and the ''salon ovale'' of
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
,
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
created a private room (with a small ''cabinet de la chaise'') that communicated directly with the ''degré du roi'' in which he conducted much of the day-to-day governance of France. The utilitarian décor – a simple table, chairs and rows of shelving – reflects this usage (Verlet 1985, p. 459).


Louis XVI

With the exception of reclaiming part of the apartment of
Madame Adélaïde Marie Adélaïde de France, (23 March 1732 – 27 February 1800) was a French princess, the sixth child and fourth daughter of King Louis XV and Queen Marie. As a legitimate daughter of the King, Adélaïde was a ''fille de France''. She wa ...
,
Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...
chose to retain the décor of the petit appartement du roi as his grandfather had left it. The ''arrière cabinet'' of
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
was rechristened ''cabinet des dépêches'' (1789 plan #8); however,
Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...
continued to use the room as day-to-day workroom as his grandfather had (Rogister, 1993). The ''pièce de la vaisselle d'or'' (1789 plan #9) – originally the ''premier salon de la petite galerie'' – formed part of the ''appartement de
Madame Adélaïde Marie Adélaïde de France, (23 March 1732 – 27 February 1800) was a French princess, the sixth child and fourth daughter of King Louis XV and Queen Marie. As a legitimate daughter of the King, Adélaïde was a ''fille de France''. She wa ...
''. Under
Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...
, the ''pièce de la vaisselle d’or'' was where the king kept his collection of rare porcelains and curiosities, many received as diplomatic gifts (Verlet 1985, p. 526) The small room north and behind the ''pièce de la vaisselle d'or'' is the ''cabinet de la cassette du roi'' (1789 plan #10). This room was converted into a bathroom for
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
around 1769.
Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...
used the room – allegedly – as a place where he could maintain his personal financial accounts (Verlet 1985, p. 526). The paneling dates from the remodeling for
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
; however,
Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...
ordered a total regilding of the room in 1784 (Verlet 1985, p. 526). When Pierre de Nolhac assumed the directorship of the museum of Versailles, he discovered that this room was being used as a broom closet by the janitorial staff. This discovery was the impetus that compelled Nolhac to begin exhaustive research on the subject of the history of Versailles (Nolhac, 1937). The ''bibliothèque de Louis XVI'' (1789 plan #11) located directly east of the ''pièce de la vaisselle d'or'' occupies the space that was the ''chambre de
Madame Adélaïde Marie Adélaïde de France, (23 March 1732 – 27 February 1800) was a French princess, the sixth child and fourth daughter of King Louis XV and Queen Marie. As a legitimate daughter of the King, Adélaïde was a ''fille de France''. She wa ...
'' (which
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
rechristened ''salon d’assemblée'' in 1769) and previously the ''petite galerie''. In 1774, construction on the library began with the decoration being executed by the workshop of the Rousseau brothers, who had previously worked on the paneling of the ''cabinet de la cassette du roi'' and on part of the sculptural decorations of the
Opéra This is a glossary list of opera genres, giving alternative names. "Opera" is an Italian word (short for "opera in musica"); it was not at first ''commonly'' used in Italy (or in other countries) to refer to the genre of particular works. Most c ...
(Verlet 1985, p. 513). This room represents not only the personal taste of
Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...
it also stands as one of the finest examples of the '' style Louis XVI'' decorative style. The room located just to the east of the ''bibliothèque de Louis XVI'' is the ''salle à manger aux salles neuves'' (1789 plan #12). This room, once the ''deuxième salon de la petite galerie'' and once one of the rooms of
Madame Adélaïde Marie Adélaïde de France, (23 March 1732 – 27 February 1800) was a French princess, the sixth child and fourth daughter of King Louis XV and Queen Marie. As a legitimate daughter of the King, Adélaïde was a ''fille de France''. She wa ...
, was remodeled into a dining room for
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
in 1769. The paneling by Jacques Verberckt dates from the 1769 redecoration of
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
and the present blue upholstery, draperies, and hunting scenes by
Jean-Baptiste Oudry Jean-Baptiste Oudry (; 17 March 1686 – 30 April 1755) was a French Rococo painter, engraver, and tapestry designer. He is particularly well known for his naturalistic pictures of animals and his hunt pieces depicting game. His son, Jacques-Ch ...
date from 1774 when
Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...
redecorated the room (Baulez, 1976; Verlet 1985, p. 527). The room was also known as the ''salle des porcelains'' on account of the annual display of the production of the
Sèvres Sèvres (, ) is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Île-de-France region. The commune, which had a population of 23,251 as of 2018, is known for ...
factory that was arranged in this room during Christmas (Baulez, 1976). The ''pièce des buffets'' or ''salle du billiard'' (1789 plan #13) occupies area that had once been the landing of the '' escalier des ambassadeurs''. During dinners, the billiard table would be covered with a wooden plank on which a buffet would be dressed for the king's guests (Verlet 1985, p. 527). The room originally had a window opening onto the ''cave du roi'' (1789 plan III), the courtyard that was created when the '' escalier des ambassadeurs'' was destroyed in 1752.During the restoration of the palace that was ordered by
Louis-Philippe Louis Philippe (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, and the penultimate monarch of France. As Louis Philippe, Duke of Chartres, he distinguished himself commanding troops during the Revolutionary Wa ...
, the ''cave du roi'' was converted into a staircase.
Occupying the site of the ''cabinet des médailles'' of
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
is the ''cabinet des jeux'' (1789 plan #14) of
Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...
. Upon the return of
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
and the court to Versailles, there had been a systematic rearrangement of the collections of
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
that had been housed in the ''petite appartement du roi'', particularly the items kept in the Louis XIV's ''cabinet des médailles''. The collection was either reorganized in other rooms of the ''petit appartement du roi'' or sent to the '' bibliothèque du roi'' in Paris. With the destruction of the '' escalier des ambassadeurs'' in 1752 and the subsequent construction of the apartment for
Madame Adélaïde Marie Adélaïde de France, (23 March 1732 – 27 February 1800) was a French princess, the sixth child and fourth daughter of King Louis XV and Queen Marie. As a legitimate daughter of the King, Adélaïde was a ''fille de France''. She wa ...
, the ''cabinet des médailles'' of
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
was completely transformed into an ''antichambre'' for
Madame Adélaïde Marie Adélaïde de France, (23 March 1732 – 27 February 1800) was a French princess, the sixth child and fourth daughter of King Louis XV and Queen Marie. As a legitimate daughter of the King, Adélaïde was a ''fille de France''. She wa ...
. Dating from 1775, the room was redecorated in 1785 during the construction of a theater next to the '' salon d’Hercule'',
Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...
decided to remodel this room as a game room (Verlet 1985, p. 528). The ''salle à manger aux salles neuves'', ''salle du billiard'' and the ''cabinet des jeux'' were used for the intimate dinner parties given by
Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...
and
Marie-Antoinette Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child ...
for their friends and selected members of the royal family.


Gallery


Notes


Sources

Books Journals


External links

{{coord, 48, 48, 17.5, N, 2, 7, 15, E, type:landmark_region:FR, display=title Palace of Versailles Rooms