Marie-Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles
by Christian Duvernois
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Book Summary Information
Author: Christian DuvernoisPhotographer: Francois Halard
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-10-07
ISBN: 0847830683
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: Rizzoli
Book Reviews of Marie-Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles
Book Review: Fascinating Journey through The Gardens of Versailles
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been to Versailles several times and visited the gardens surrounding the Trianons but nothing prepared me for the delight to be found in this fascinating book about the creation of the gardens in general, and specifically the design schemes and influence of Marie Antionette.
One is able to follow the earliest forms of the gardens created by Louis XIV, Louis XV and Madame Pompadour, with concerns for the botanical collections and for "fastasical glades and bosquets" so popular during their eras, progressing on to the innovative design ideas brought about with the assistance of talented collaborators Marie Antionette gathered around her to achieve her goals for a much more atypical garden than had been previously formed. Here we have a nod to the bucollic spaces of the English garden combined with her love of fragrant blooms and rare specimans, and for her love of theatricals and garden parties. The lovely Theatre, the delightful Belvedere and the Temple of Love, bear witness to her love for "vistas" viewed from various locations throughout the gardens. The Alpine Garden, comprised of rock formations and including flora which could be found growing in the Alps, created an adventurous and otherworldly element to experience and enjoy by those fortunate to be invited guests of the Queen. The Dairy, vegetable gardens and farm, allowed the Queen and her guests to experience a simplicity and relaxation far removed from the strict rules of the court which was both novel and enlightening for the time.
One is made aware of the sensibilies of the Queen and how she chose to effect her ideas. The atmosphere and ambience of the gardens and glades adjacent to the Petite Trianon which she loved for its qualities of privacy became spaces to share and enjoy with her close friends and immediate family in a way she could not experience within the strict codes of behavior demanded at the Palace of Versailles.
More than just the collaborative planning and overseeing of the design of the gardens, the Queen was exacting in her concern for the "details" needed to create it and one is made aware of how much more substance there was in her character, as well as, having a highly developed artistic sensibility. Her generoisity to the workers and artists she gathered around her for maintaining the gardens and buildings bears witness to her graciousness as a human being. These are qualities that we are often led to overlook or not made aware of when viewed in light of the more sensational aspects of her actions and personality historically repeated in a negative fashion.
"Marie Antionette and the Last Garden at Versailles." is a throughly enjoyable book with a well balanced presentation of the history of the gardens and those who made them possible. This puts the volume far beyond the "coffee table" variety. The black and white images are beautifully captured and in many ways conjour the past dramatically with a sense of silent nostalgia. But the gorgeous color photographs offer a rich feast for the eyes and imagination for today's visitor.
Thomas Lee Randleman
Summary of Marie-Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles
Marie-Antoinette has been idolized as the height of eighteenth-century French style and vilified as the spark that ignited the French Revolution. This book departs from such traditional interpretations of the infamous queen?s reign and chooses to reflect on the humanistic aspects of her private realm. To escape the formalities and royal obligations of Louis XVI?s court, Marie-Antoinette created a private realm of pleasure for herself at the Petit Trianon and Hameau, where she planted the first Anglo-Chinese garden; created a trysting grotto; a working farm; and revolutionized architecture and gardening trends for the century to come. Marie-Antoinette?s entire private domain and its story are told in beautiful photographic detail by François Halard for the first time since its recent restoration and accompanied by well-researched texts by garden expert Christian Duvernois.Arts & Photography Books
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