IN VIEW
58 VOGUELIVING.COM.AU
The French Pavilion in the gardens of Marie
Antoinette’s retreat, the Petit Trianon.« Central to Versailles’ appeal is its reputation as one of the greatest palaces
in the world and also as home to some of history’s swankiest soirees. “It suited
Louis XIV to have the nobles of the court under his control at Versailles,” says
Vaughan. “To achieve this, it was essential to provide a luxurious ambience.
The court needed entertainment and distractions. The music, art and theatre
created a new culture often described as one big unending house party.”
But it wasn’t all opulence and grandeur. “Visitors to 17th-century Versailles
were not so much astonished by the luxury as by the light,” adds Beatrix Saule.
“It was the first time ceiling-to-floor windows had been designed. When
combined with hundreds of candlelit chandeliers, it created a miracle of light
at night. It was also astonishing because it was the first time women socialised
in society from six o’ clock to 10 o’ clock, which before this was unimaginable.”
The magic of Versailles will be evoked inside the NGA with installations
including a mise-en-scène featuring Marie Antoinette’s gilded harp. Entwined
with garlands of gold flowers and nestling doves, the harp will be accompanied
by items of the period personally commissioned by the stylish young queen,
including furniture delicately hand-carved with jasmine and fine porcelain
embellished with pearls and cornflowers. “We want this to be an immersive
exhibition,” says Vaughan. “We want people to absorb the sense of luxury and
the power that defined Versailles... and feel they have experienced the beauty
and the glamour. A bit of bling never hurts.” VL
Versailles: Treasures From the Palace is on at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra
from 9 December, 2016–17 April, 2017. Visit nga.gov.au.INSIDE MARIE
ANTOINETTE’S
BOUDOIR
Visitors to the NGA can
immerse themselves in
the finer details of Marie
Antoinette’s private boudoir,
located in the Petit Trianon.
The handcrafted furnishings
depicting common flora such as
cornflowers symbolise her desire
for a simpler life, and evoke
a veritable sigh of relief after the
gilded opulence of the palace.LATONA AND
HER CHILDREN
The resplendent 1.5-tonne
Carrara marble statue Latona
and Her Children has been
plucked from one of Versailles’
most famous fountains to play
a starring role in Canberra.
The sculpture depicts the
mother of Apollo, the Greek
sun god symbolic of Louis XIV,
cursing villagers who were
turned into frogs for denying
her water to drink.INNOVATION AND
EXQUISITE TIMEPIECES
Versailles was a hotbed of
scientific and engineering
innovation, and witnessed
the ascent of the first unmanned
hot air balloon and the creation
of the ‘flying chair’ (a precursor
to the elevator, which whisked
the king’s mistress from her
boudoir to his). Louis XVI
was particularly fond of the
sciences and collected
curiosities including timepieces,
seen below in a glass cabinet
by Jean-Henri Riesener.THE DAWN
OF ROCOCO
The work desk (1745) of
Louis XV’s son by talented
Parisian cabinetmaker Bernard
van Riesen Burgh is an
extraordinary example
of the fluid Rococo style,
which emerged as a reaction
to the symmetrical grandeur
of the Baroque era in the
early 18th century.VERSAILLES ON TOUR