In the blogging world, today, April 1 is being heralded as a day to celebrate Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France. This day has nothing to connect it historically to the queen, but rather to the publication of Stampington's issue of their magazine celebrating Marie Antoinette.
I thought I'd contribute to the festivities with a few photos taken of our visit to Versailles nearly 2 years ago. It was one of my favourite days on the trip.
It still looks today as it did when Marie-Antoinette left Versailles during the French Revolution in 1789. The Rococo-style woodwork, as well as the ceiling painting by François Boucher (1703-1770) were commissioned around 1730 by Louis XV in order to please his wife, Maria Leszczinska. Marie-Antoinette found this terribly old-fashioned, and decided to replace all the furnishings, notably commissioning silk hangings woven in patterns of lilacs and peacock feathers, garnishing the alcove and the enormous four-poster bed (restored in 1976).
This door is off to the left of the bedchamber. I would dearly love to pass through this door once in my lifetime. I understand that it's the door through which Marie Antoinette escaped when the angry mob attacked the palace.
It looks dirty doesn't it? It's soiled from years of fingerprints and hands pushing the door open and pulling it closed. I'm sure it's been cleaned and painted since Marie Antoinette's time, but I like to think of the history of hands that have touched that door.
Walking down to the Petit Trianon is a pleasant stroll through gardens and fountains. There in the small, beautifully proportioned house that was Marie Antoinette's retreat from the formality of Versailles, is a staircase, with the grillwork displaying her initials. Can you make out the M and the A intertwined in the center of the oval?
This sitting room in the Petit Trianon is less elaborate than those in Versailles, but utterly charming. I love all the pale blue and white with the dark floor. The fireplace, glimpsed just to the left, is of a beautiful blue marble - Turkish I believe.
Here's the link to the Chateau de Versailles where you can find all kinds of interesting information. The site is in French and in English, just choose your language at the top.
A couple of months ago I helped Joy from Cupid's Charm translate a document detailing some of Marie Antoinette's jewelry. Joy has designed some gorgeous pieces and is offering a great discount over on her site, as well as a giveaway. She has lots of fun information about the Queen on her site as well.
Heather at Pretty Petals has a project featured in the Marie magazine, and she is having a great giveaway, too. Be sure to visit her site, and there you will also find links to the other artists who collaborated with her.
Lorrie, I had the lovely opportunity to visit Versailles during a visit to Europe a number of years ago.
It was so amazing to see such opulence and beauty. And to think of the individuals who crafted and imagined and designed. Wow!
Isn't Versailles amazing? I can hardly wrap my mind around the oppulence! You have a very creative and interesting blog..I've enjoyed looking around here!
oh la la ! Love it !