Paris1972-Versailles2003

In my dear gorgeous Versailles ; there are many places other than the main castle. The city needs to be seen more, my kind of town, actually did lived there for 9+ glorious years! Very nice family memories. I found me nice pictures in my cd rom vault that again should be in my blog for and me, This was on our usual walks in the garden not far from our home, Therefore, here is my take on the Richard Mique’s Apartment on the Théâtre de la Reine by the Petit Trianon of Versailles !!!  Hope you enjoy the post as I

The Richard Mique’s Apartment were above the Théâtre de la Reine by the Petit Trianon. He had obtained permission to attend performances in the small theatre and also to occupy an apartment located directly above it. Access was via a small spiral staircase. This apartment allowed the architect to be on hand to oversee the ongoing work at the Trianon and also to promptly respond to the Queen’s requests when she wished to clarify details of the decor or, as was often the case, to change a motif that had barely been completed but had fallen out of favor. Built in 1780,the théâtre de la Reine aka Marie-Antoinette (see post) features an elegant blue, white, and gold auditorium located in the Jardin Français garden,

The apartment consisted of two rooms overlooking the garden, including a bedroom, another small room overlooking the courtyard, a small study, and two wardrobes. An alcove front for the bedroom, an oak sideboard front for the second room, probably used as a dining room, two molded mirrored overmantels above the fireplaces, and five double-casement windows. The paintings in white or tempera, except for the stair railing, painted black, and the numeral, painted in tempera gray. It was a very simple dwelling, with painted fireplace surrounds and a red-tiled floor, more of a servant’s quarters than a pleasure residence, but the view of the leafy gardens was so beautiful that it must have made one forget the discomfort of the accommodations. The ensemble still exists today, but it is possible that new partitions were added during the Napoleonic era, as the current layout of the rooms does not appear to correspond to the original arrangement.

Richard Mique was from a family of architects, initially worked for King Stanislas in Nancy and Lunéville. Introduced to Versailles by Marie Leczinska, he built, starting in 1767 at the queen’s request, a convent for the canonesses of Saint Augustine, the Queen’s Convent (since 1888, the Lycée Hoche in Versailles), and the chapel of the Carmel of Saint Denis (Justice of the Peace in 1795, later used for exhibitions). Under Louis XVI, he became the king’s chief architect. He designed Marie Antoinette’s garden and hamlet, then decorated the Petit Trianon, and built the Temple of Love and the Belvedere between 1777 and 1783. Having withdrawn to Brittany during the Reign of Terror,in the French revolution, he was denounced to the Revolutionary Tribunal. Guillotined on July 9, 1794, he was among the approximately 1300 victims buried in the mass graves of the Picpus cemetery on 35 Rue de Picpus in the 12éme arrondissement of Paris. Since 1926 it is today own by the Fondation de l’Oratoire et du cimetière de Picpus 

There is a street Rue Richard Mique in the Clagny neighborhood since 1927 former rue Saint-Georges. 

The Château de Versailles on Richard Mique : https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/history/great-characters/richard-mique

The Château de Versailles on the Queen’s Theater : https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/estate/estate-trianon/queen-theatre

There you go folks, I know you must see the castle and worth it. However, do give it more time to dwell into the park by the Petit and Grand Trianon, a lovely way to see the domaine de Versailles ,a masterpiece of my belle France. Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Richard Mique’s Apartment on the Théâtre de la Reine by the Petit Trianon of Versailles !!! as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!