Hall of Mirrors (Palace of Versailles)

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See also: Hall of Mirrors
Hall of Mirrors in the palace of Versailles
Hall of Mirrors in the palace of Versailles

As the central and most remarkable feature of King Louis XIV of France’s third building campaign of the Palace of Versailles, construction of the Hall of Mirrors (French: galerie des glaces) began in 1678. [1] To provide for the Hall of Mirrors as well as the salon de la guerre and the salon de la paix, which connect the grand appartement du roi with the grand appartement de la reine, architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart appropriated three rooms from each apartment. This entailed the suppression of the salon de Jupiter, the salon de Saturn, and the salon de Vénus from both the king and queen’s state apartments, as well as the terrace that separated the two apartments. [2] The principal feature of this famous hall is the seventeen mirror-clad arches that reflect the seventeen arcaded windows that overlook the gardens. Each arch contains twenty-one mirrors with a total complement of 357 used in the decoration of the galerie des glaces.[3] The arches themselves are fixed upon marble pilasters whose capitals depict the symbols of France. These gilded bronze capitals include the fleur-de-lys and the Gallic cockerel or rooster. Many of the other attributes of the Hall of Mirrors were lost to war for financial purposes, such as the silver table pieces and lamp holders were melted by order of Louis XIV in 1689 to finance the War of the League of Augsburg.[4]

Contents

[edit] Construction

Gilded sculptured guéridons were commissioned to replace part of the silver furniture.
Gilded sculptured guéridons were commissioned to replace part of the silver furniture.

In the 17th century, mirrors were among the most expensive items to possess and at the time, the Venetian Republic held the monopoly on the manufacture of mirrors. In order to maintain the integrity of his philosophy of mercantilism, which required that all items used in the decoration of Versailles be made in France, Jean-Baptiste Colbert enticed several workers from Venice to make mirrors at the Gobelins Factory. The Gobelins, which still exist today, was nationalized in the 1660s by Colbert for the express purpose of making furniture and other decorative items for Versailles and other royal residences. According to legend, in order to keep its monopoly, the government of the Venetian Republic sent agents to France to poison the workers whom Colbert had brought to France. The Hall of Mirrors' technological innovation which made it such a phenomenal space during its day was the high temperature melting process of glass which was utilized to construct the mirrors. This was the first time this process had been done adding to its significance.[5]

The Hall of Mirrors' dimensions are 73.0 m × 10.5 m × 12.3 m (239.5 ft × 34.4 ft × 40.4 ft) and is flanked by the salon de la guerre (north) and the salon de la paix (south). Construction on the galerie and its two salons continued until 1684, at which time it was pressed into use for court and state functions. The ceiling decoration is dedicated to the military victories of Louis XIV. The present decorative schema represents the last of three that were presented to Louis XIV. The original decorative plan was to have depicted the exploits of Apollo, being consistent with the imagery associated with the Sun-King, Louis XIV. However, when the king learned that his brother, Philippe d'Orléans, had commissioned Pierre Mignard to decorate the ceiling of the grand galerie of his brother’s residence at Château de Saint-Cloud, Louis XIV rejected the plan. The next decorative plan was one in which the exploits of Hercules — as allegories to the actions of Louis XIV — were to be depicted. Again, as with the first plan, the Hercules theme was rejected by the king. The final plan represents military victories of Louis XIV starting with the Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659) to the Treaty of Nijmegen (1678-1679). In a departure from the decoration of the ceilings in the grand appartement du roi, LeBrun has depicted Louis XIV directly, and has ceased to refer to the king in allegorical guises. In this way, themes such as good governance and military prowess are rendered with Louis XIV himself as the key figure.[6]

[edit] Functions of the Hall

Claude-Guy Hallé, “Reception of the Doge of Genoa, 15 May 1685.” In this painting we see some of Louis XIV's silver furniture, including his silver throne.
Claude-Guy Hallé, “Reception of the Doge of Genoa, 15 May 1685.” In this painting we see some of Louis XIV's silver furniture, including his silver throne.

During the 17th century, the Hall of Mirrors was used daily by Louis XIV when he walked from his private apartment to the chapel. At this time, courtiers assembled to watch the king and members of the royal family pass, and might make a particular request by intoning: “Sire, Marly?”[7] This was the manner in which one was able to obtain a much sought-after invitation to one of the king’s house parties at Marly-le-Roi, the villa Louis XIV built north of Versailles on the route to Saint-Germain-en-laye. However, of all the events that transpired in this room during the reign of Louis XIV, the Siamese Embassy of 1685-1686 must be cited as the most opulent.[8] At this time, the galerie des glaces and the grands appartements were still appointed with silver furniture. In February 1715, Louis XIV held his last embassy — which could be regarded as the swan song for his absolutism — in the galerie des glaces, one in which he received Mehemet Raza Bey, ambassador of the Shah of Persia.

Antoine Coypel (attributed to), Embassy of Mehemet Raza-Bey, ambassador of the Shah of Persia, 19 February 1715.
Antoine Coypel (attributed to), Embassy of Mehemet Raza-Bey, ambassador of the Shah of Persia, 19 February 1715.

It was later revealed that the ambassador was bogus, and that the entire ceremony was orchestrated for the benefit of Louis XIV (who died in September of the same year).[9]

In the successive reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI, the Hall of Mirrors continued to serve for family and court functions. Embassies, births, and marriages were fêted in this room; however, perhaps the most celebrated event of the 18th century occurred on 25 February 1745: the celebrated Bal des Ifs (Ball of the Yew Trees). It was during this costume ball that Louis XV, who was dressed as a yew tree, met Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson d'Étiolles, who was costumed as Diana, goddess of the hunt. Jeanne-Antoinette, who became Louis XV’s mistress, is better known to history as the Marquise de Pompadour.[10]

Proclamation of the Second German Empire in 1871
Proclamation of the Second German Empire in 1871
Signing the Treaty of Versailles in 1919
Signing the Treaty of Versailles in 1919

In the 19th century, at the conclusion of the Franco-Prussian War, the Prussian king, William I, was declared German emperor — thus establishing the (second) German Empire — on 18 January 1871 in the Hall of Mirrors by Bismarck and the victorious German princes and lords. This was seen as a victory with heavy symbolism for the Germans and a stinging insult for the defeated French.

Conversely, on 28 June 1919, French prime minister Clemenceau chose the Hall of Mirrors to sign the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I.

The Hall of Mirrors is still pressed into service for state occasions of the Fifth Republic, such as receptions for visiting heads of state.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ (Kimball, 1940); (Nolhac, 1901; 1925); (Marie, 1968; 1977); (Verlet II, 1985)
  2. ^ Marie, 1968; 1977);(Verlet II, 1985)
  3. ^ (Verlet II, 1985)
  4. ^ (Dangeau, 1854-6); (Josephson, 1926); (Mercure Galant, 1682); (Sourches, 1882-96);(Verlet II, 1985)
  5. ^ (Verlet II, 1985)
  6. ^ (Montagu, 1992); (Marie, 1972); (Verlet II, 1985)
  7. ^ (Solon, 1987)
  8. ^ (Bluche, 1986); (Cruysse, 1991); (Dangeau, 1854-6); (Mercure Galant, 1686)
  9. ^ (Bluche, 1986)
  10. ^ (Marie, 1984); (Nolhac, 1926)

[edit] Sources

  • Bluche, François. Louis XIV. Paris: Fayard, 1986.
  • Combes, sieur de. Explication historique de ce qu'il y a de plus remarquable dans la maison royale de Versailles. Paris: C. Nego, 1681.
  • Cruysse, Dirke Van der. Louis XIV et le Siam. Paris: Fayard, 1991.
  • Dangeau, Philippe de Courcillon, marquis de. Journal. Paris, 1854-60.
  • Félibien, Jean-François. Description sommaire de Versailles ancienne et nouvelle. Paris: A. Chrétien, 1703.
  • Jacquiot, Joseph. “Remarques critiques sur les inscriptions de la galerie de Versailles, par Boileau-Despéaux.“ Colloque de Versailles 1985.
  • Jestaz, Bertrand. “Jules Hardouin-Mansart et ses dessinateurs.“ Colloque de Versailles 1985.
  • Josephson, Ragnar. “Relation de la visite de Nicodème Tessin à Marly, Versailles, Rueil, et St-Cloud en 1687.“ Revue de l'Histoire de Versailles 1926: 150-67, 274-300
  • Kimball, Fiske. “Genesis of the Château Neuf at Versailles, 1668-1671.“ Gazette des Beaux-Arts 6 pér., vol. 35 1949: 353-372.
  • Kimball, Fiske. “Mansart and LeBrun and the Genesis of the Grand Galerie de Versailles.“ The Art Bulletin 22 March 1940: 1-6.
  • Marie, Alfred. Naissance de Versailles. Paris, 1968.
  • Marie, Alfred & Jeanne. Mansart à Versailles. Paris, 1972.
  • Marie, Alfred & Jeanne. Versailles au temps de Louis XIV. Paris, 1976.
  • Marie, Alfred & Jeanne. Versailles au temps de Louis XV. Paris, 1984.
  • Mercure Galant, décembre, 1682; septembre, 1686; décembre 1686.
  • Monicart, Jean-Baptiste de. Versailles immortailisé. Paris: E. Ganeau, 1720.
  • Montagu, Jenifer. “LeBrun's Early Designs for the Grand Galerie: some comments on the drawings.“ Gazette des Beaux-Arts 6 pér., tome 120 novembre 1992: 195-206.
  • Nolhac, Pierre de. La création de Versailles. Versailles, 1901.
  • Nolhac, Pierre de. Versailles, Résidence de Louis XIV. Paris, 1925.
  • Nolhac, Pierre de. Versailles au XVIIIe siècle. Paris: Louis Conard, 1926.
  • Piganiol de la Force, Jean-Aymar. Nouvelle description des châteaux et parcs de Versailles et Marly. Paris: Chez Florentin de la lune, 1701.
  • Solon, Jean François. La cour de France. Paris: Fayard, 1987.
  • Marquis de Sourches. Mémoires sur le règne de Louis XIV. Ed. Cosnac & Pontel, 13 vol. Paris, 1882-93.
  • Verlet, Pierre. “Les guéridons de la Galerie des Glaces.“ Bulletin de la société de l'art français 1985: 129-135.
  • Verlet, Pierre. Versailles. Paris, 1985.
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