Let me tell you about my dear Versailles, a city I lived for almost 10 years and had visited upteen times over the years since 1990. My sons went to secondary school and prep school with the bus network of the city , all great memories. I have been telling my readers there is a lot more than the palace/museum at Versailles, but folks keep asking me of it…. Therefore, let me tell you a bit more on the magnificent Kings and Queens bedrooms of the Château de Versailles !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
How about the King’s bedroom , apartment: One of the most famous scandals in the history of the reign of Louis XIV knew his epilogue in this room. Primitively, the second antichamber and the Chamber formed part of the Queen’s apartment; However, in 1684, after the death of Marie-Thérèse, the two pieces were attached to the apartment of the King. The second antichamber served as the place where the mistresses waited for their entrance to the King during the little sunrise and the grand sunset. Because of the collection of paintings by the Italian artist, Jacopo Bassano, aka Le Bassan, which were exhibited in this room, the room was nicknamed the antichamber of the Bassans. The famous Noli Me Tangere by Lambert Sustris decorates the chimney in 1701, the second antichamber and the King’s bedroom were merged to create the Grand Salon, the Salon de l’Oeil-de-Boeuf, which became the main antichamber of the King’s new chamber. When Louis XIV settled in the King’s room in 1684, the next room was designated for the King’s salon or the salon where the King dressed. The King’s salon served for seventeen years as the place where the ceremonies of the King’s rise and sunset were held. Bedroom of Louis XIV. This parade room was carried out on the site of the King’s lounge, a room that went back to the time of Louis XIII. During the reign of Louis XIV, it underwent many modifications until its completion in 1701, like that of the construction of the Galerie des Glaces which demanded the abolition of the three windows doors to the west that overlooking the terrace, replaced by three doors of the bottom that were clogged to form an alcove. With the establishment of the King’s room, the room became the physical and ideological center of the castle, the sovereign had dinner at the Petit Couvert . Every day the King’s sunrise and bedtime ceremonies were held, attended by a hundred people including officers of the chamber and wardrobe, courtiers, diplomats, governors, etc.
The top-of-doors counted the portrait of Francisco de Moncada and a Self-portrait by Antoon Van Dyck, a Saint John the Baptist by Caravaggio and Marie Madeleine by Le Guide. The Saint Cécile by Le Domenichino was exposed in the archivolt above the chimney and opposite another work of the painter; King David playing the harp. Above the canopy bed topped with ostrich feathers and egrets, was the stucco allegory of “France watching over the King’s sleep” carved by Nicolas Coustou, this bas-relief being topped by a trellis hanger crowned by two renowned. The present hangings are not copies of the primitive hangings of the King’s room; Indeed, the brocade was removed from a drawing made for the winter hangout of the Queen’s room. It was only after the beginning of the project that the original drawings of Louis XIV’s hangings were found, due to economy, the weaving was already in motion, the King’s room was restored with the winter draperies of the Queen’s room.
The official Château de Versailles on the king’s bedroom : https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/estate/kings-apartments#the-king%E2%80%99s-bedchamber
The Queen’s bedroom is a room of the Queen’s large apartment in the Château de Versailles. Although a bedroom, this room of the castle is, like the Grand Chamber of the King, a place of theatrical staging; the Queen’s bedtime, but also public adoptions of the children of France, etc. On either side of the Royal bed, a door gave access to the passages de Versailles, allowing the sovereign to go directly into the rooms of her children. Like the rest of the castle, the French revolution led to the chamber being emptied and, no more, there were not many elements of the chamber as it was decorated under Louis XIV for Marie-Thérèse. The room was the main bedroom of the apartment, the one where the Queen was most often. She slept there, often joined by the King. In the morning she received during and after her toilet, which constituted a court moment as regulated by the label as the rise of the King (the label was a set of rules that must be respected by the nobles). This is where the public deliveries took place; 20 children of France were born there.
The décor retains the memory of the three Queens who occupied the room: the division of the ceiling dates from Marie-Thérèse, wife of Louis XIV, and the paintings and woodwork were made for Marie Leszczynska, wife of Louis XV. All the elements were preserved from the time of Marie-Antoinette, wife of Louis XVI, for which only the furniture and the chimney were delivered new.
The official Château de Versailles on the Queen’s bedroom : https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/estate/palace/queen-apartments#the-queen%E2%80%99s-bedchamber
There you go folks, the Chateau de Versailles is beyond description, I do my best. These are even more wonderful on site ,and the pleasure to see architecture, decoration and history before your eyes is awesome , me think, Plenty of loving memories for us here. Again, hope you enjoy the post on the kings and queens bedrooms of the Château de Versailles as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 