And as I read doors , halls, flowers , etc I have taken to something personal where I am friends of the Castle/museum and while living there fully enjoyed it as my backyard, literally. I, of course, have several posts on Versailles and many many on the castle/museum, but there is always more. More is needed for the beauty of our world and my belle France. Even thru time and ups and downs its still there glowing better than ever, almost….
I have look at my photos and found have several on ceilings of the castle/museum so why not showcasing them in one single post. Here is my take on the Château de Versailles ,ceilings !!! Hope you enjoy it as i do.
The Galerie des Glaces or gallery of mirrors. The ceiling is decorated with nearly 1,000 m2 of paintings from the workshop of Charles Le Brun illustrating the achievements of the first twenty years of Louis XIV’s personal reign. The large central painting represents the first episode: Louis XIV turns away from pleasures and games to begin to exercise his power personally.
The Chambre du Roi or bedroom of the king. The ceiling done by Nicolas Coustou producing the stucco allegory of La France watching over the King’s sleep over hanging the bed.
TheSalon des Noblesis a living room of the Queen’s Grand Apartment. The living room is located between the Grand Couvert antechamber and the Queen’s bedroom and served as the apartment’s second antechamber. The ceiling is dedicated to the god Mercury. The central composition depicts Mercury spreading his influence over the arts and sciences. The arches are each decorated with a composition illustrating great female figures of Antiquity who distinguished themselves in these areas, Cesicene cultivating painting., Penelope working on her tapestry, Sappho singing to the accompaniment of the lyre. Aspasia of conversing with philosophers. The subject of the ceiling spandrel paintings recalls the traditional attributions of Mercury such as the Diligence.Vigilance. The Academy. Commerce. Two door tops complete the decoration. Due to Jean-Baptiste Regnault, they were exhibited at the Salon of 1785 then placed in the salon for the queen: The origin of the painting: the young Corinthian Dibutade drawing the profile of the shepherd, her lover. The origin of the sculpture: Pygmalion in love with his statue, praying to Venus from the anime
The Chapelle Royale or Royal Chapel. The ceiling of the vault, which Hardouin-Mansart wanted without any double arch to make it a completely united surface, is dedicated to the Holy Trinity: in the center, God the Father in his glory by Antoine Coypel, in the apse La Résurrection by Charles de La Fosse and, above the royal gallery, The Descent of the Holy Spirit by Jean Jouvenet.
The Salon de Diane or Diana’s room or louis XIV. The central part of the ceiling executed by Gabriel Blanchard represents Diane presiding over navigation and hunting.
The Salon de la Paix or Peace room. The ceiling is composed of five paintings of France giving peace to Europe, in the center, Spain accepts peace; Christian Europe in peace; Germany accepts peace and Holland accepts peace.
The Salon de Mars or Mars’s room . In the center of the ceiling, Claude Audran painted Mars on a chariot drawn by wolves. The work is framed by two compositions; one, to the east, by Jouvenet: Victory supported by Hercules followed by Abundance and Bliss; the other, to the west, by Houasse: Terror, Fury and Horror seizing the powers of the earth.
The Salon du Grand Couvert or large covered living room . The ceiling is entirely decorated with paintings compartmentalized by elements of gilded stucco. Originally the guards’ room, the room was first equipped with a central ceiling dedicated to Mars and as it is the queen’s apartment, the paintings of the arches represent heroines of Antiquity who are illustrated by their courage. These are six compositions in shades of gold imitating bas-reliefs: two to the north and to the south, one to the east and to the west: arches south above the windows: Clélie fleeing with her Compagnes, by Paillet; Harpalice delivering his father, by Vignon. northern arch: Artemisia fighting the Greeks at the battle of Salamis, by Paillet; Zenobia fighting against the Emperor Aurelian, by Paillet. western arch above the chimney: Rodogune swears to avenge the death of her husband, by Vignon. arch is: Hypsicrates following her husband Mithridates at war, by Paillet.
The Salle du Trône ou Apollon or Apollo’s -Throne’s room .The Salon of Apollo is dedicated to the Greek god, god of the sun, with whom the Sun King identified. Commissioned by Louis XIV, the ceiling is a painting by Charles de La Fosse which represents Apollo on his chariot dragged by four couriers, accompanied by the figures of France, Magnanimity and Magnificence and the Procession of the seasons figured by Flore, Cérès, Bacchus and Saturn in the center. The arches represent Porus led to Alexander , Coriolan raising the siege of Rome at the request of his mother, Vespasian raising the Colosseum in Rome , and Augustus building the port of Misene.
Escalier au Grand Nobles or Stair to grand nobles. The ceiling were done in 1680, it was quickly the most visited in the castle. It is built almost entirely in marble except for its steps which are made of stone. It is decorated with a trompe-l’oeil on the wall.
I do this out of habit but rather give the tourist offices for ease in planning , always handy, hope it helps
The official Castle/museum of Versailles: Château de Versailles
And lets not forget the Tourist office of the city of Versailles on the castle/museum: tourist office city of Versailles on the Château de Versailles
And there ,now another post and souvenir in my blog on my wonderful sublime beautiful palace of Versailles, and not forget there is more than the palace in the Domaine and plenty more in the city of Versailles! Again, hope you enjoy the Château de Versailles ,ceilings as I
And remember, happy travels, good health and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 