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There is almost nothing about the ancien régime that one could describe as chaste, though the Petit Trianon at Versailles—modest in scale, sublime in its perfection (and six years in the making, 1762–68)—is an exception. The master who conceived it, Ange-Jacques Gabriel, paid homage to the ideals of Greek temple architecture with a square floor plan, a flat roof, and four sober façades limned in Corinthian detail; his noble edifice of sun-bleached limestone marks the place, both literally and figuratively, where the decadence of the Rococo style cedes to the purity of neoclassicism. This little pleasure palace, which architect and decorator Robert Couturier calls “the best-designed house in the world,” was intended as a gift for Louis XV’s maîtresse-en-titre, Madame de Pompadour—that paragon of elegance and ambition.

Château de Versailles

Madame de Pompadour died four years before it was completed and it passed to her successor, Madame du Barry. The next lord of Versailles, Louis XVI, bestowed the retreat upon his teenage queen, Marie Antoinette, who spent some of her happiest hours there. She added to the grounds a charming, if infamous, faux-rustic village—the Hameau—where she and her ladies played shepherdesses.

On the first floor the Living room called "Salon de Compagnie", decorated with splendid woodworks carved by Guibert, is one of the most beautiful rooms of the castle. The pieces of furniture are contemporary of Marie-Antoinette.

Living Room (Salon de Compagnie)The main room on the floor was a living room, for “Games” and music especially in the days of Marie-Antoinette. Honoré Guibert carved the trophies of music on the panelling decorated with King Louis XV’s monogram, the two “Ls” in myrtle leaves entwined with three natural fleurs-de-lis under a crown of roses. The imposing chimney is made of purple breccia. The textile decor is a “three-colour damask” from Lyon often used in royal palaces during the 18th century

Marie-Antoinette was notoriously badly educated. She read little and knew no Latin. Worse, she had never been taught to concentrate. In 1766, Louis XV was appalled at her somewhat approximate French. But music was her passion and she had great talent. She could read music, sing and play the clavichord. The harp was her favorite instrument and her teacher was the gifted Philippe Joseph Hinner. Marie-Antoinette’s patronage brought many celebrated musicians to the French court, notably Gluck.

This harp was made by Jean-Henri

Naderman, luthier and harp-maker to

the Queen, and was delivered in

November, 1774, the year of the 19-year-old Queen’s accession. It is

decorated with lilies and a cherub bearing the

Queen’s arms. The sound board has

paintings of Peace and Minerva,

patroness of artists.Musée Municipal,

Vendôme.

Harp belonging to queen Marie-Antoinette

Marie Antoinette playing the harp

at the French Court by Jean-

Baptiste Gautier Dagoty (1740-1786) Palace of

Versailles

Seen from the music room’s window, the French PavilionThis pavilion is known as the “French” pavilion because it was located in the middle of one of those regular gardens which began to be known as “French” gardens in contrast with the budding trend of English gardens. Built by Gabriel in 1750, it was one of Louis XV’s first creations at Trianon, the estate to which he had felt drawn towards since childhood.

French Pavilion

roof cherubs

French Pavilion

French Pavilion consists in a vast circular living room flanked by four small rooms used as a boudoir, warming room, kitchen and wardrobe. Accompanied by Madame de Pompadour the king would go there to relax, listen to music after his visits of the botanical garden or having enjoyed a light meal at the nearby Cool Pavilion.

Bedchamber

Louis XV’s retreat room became the bedchamber

of Madame du Barry in 1772 then that of

Marie-Antoinette.

The room is entirely authentic,

the furniture of origin was found, repurchased and

restored

Her bedroom, although simple, is also elegant in accord with her general style, provided with furniture from

Georges Jacob and Jean Henri Riesener.

The comparison between the relatively modest room of the queen at the Petit Trianon and the royal apartments of the Palace of Versailles is striking. The small dimensions of the bed of the queen in her room at the Petit Trianon show well that here she lived as a single woman away off her royal husband. It is known that Marie-Antoinette in her married life had known a humiliating experience. Louis XVI had been unable during 7 years to consummate the marriage. This was known in France as well from the royal courts of Europe.

Marie Antoinette compensated for a lack of affection from her husband by spending lavishly on shoes and clothing. At one point, her dresses were said to fill three rooms in Versailles

Allegory of the birth of the dauphin Louis Joseph, showing Marie Antoinette as Venus holding ‘Love’ in her arms

Augustin Pajou(1730-1809)

Seen from the windows of Marie Antoinette’s bedchamber is the Temple of Love, built in 1778The Temple Of Love is built on an island (the rock formation covers a bridge). It is called that because it has a statue of Cupid, by Bouchard, standing in its center

This Temple of the Love, which the queen could see from her room in Petit Trianon, was erected by Richard Mique in 1778 in pure neo-classical style. Built entirely out of marble, this invaluable building is especially notable for the quality of the sculptures by Deschamps which adorn its Corinthian capitals, its friezes and the inside of its dome.

This exceptional quality is explained by the fact that it was supposed to house a recognized masterpiece of French sculpture, Cupid cutting his bow from the Club of Hercules by Bouchardon whose original, now on display at the Louvre, was replaced by a replica by Mouchy, another great 18th century sculptor.

The Hope Diamond once known as the French Blue. It was part of the French Crown Jewels and worn by Marie Antoinette

Monogrammed door handles leading to Marie Antoinette’s personal rooms in the Petit Trianon

Petit Trianon Mobilier « aux épis », chambre de Marie-Antoinette au Petit Trianon, Georges Jacob, 1787-1788

Boiserie details at Petit Trianon

Parquet

The Cabinet of Movable MirrorsUnder Louis XV the king’s private chambers began here. Marie-Antoinette converted the room and in 1776 she commissioned mechanical engineer Jean-Tobie Mercklein to create movable mirrors which would rise from the floor to block the two windows and obtain a boudoir with a double mirror effect.

Ingenious mirrored wall panels that could be raised or lowered by pulleys to screen the windows

In 1787, the queen commissioned new arabesque style panelling which was carried out by the Rousseau brothers.

In addition to these rooms, there was a water closet, a bathroom, refitted in 1837 for the Duchess of Orleans, as well as a small antechamber or dressing room, located on the site of Louis XV’s former library of botany.

The cabinet “of the moving mirrors” by means of the system of sliding slopes allowed the queen to shut her windows when she wanted to isolate herself

Marie Antoinette‘s cipher which decorates the little

chateau

Pictures: Internet & Adrian Moacã

Copyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanu

www.slideshare.net/michaelasanda

Sound: Alexandru Tomescu & Horia Mihail - Jules Massenet - Thais: Meditation