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| A tapestry panel hangs at Bantry House. Image via Bantry House. |
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| Francois Dumont, Marie Antoinette. 1780, portrait miniatures (5x3 in.), ivory. Image from slide, University of California, San Diego. |
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| Nooo puppy, no! Marie Antoinette (2006), film. Sofia Coppola. |
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| Joana Vasconcelos, Vitrail. 2012, installation. Escalier de la Reine, Versailles. |
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| Bernar Venet, 86.5° Arc x 16 at the Place d’Armes. Photograph by Philippe Chancel. Palace of Versailles garden. |
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| Bernar Venet, Euf lignes obliques at Marly Estate. Photograph from the Archives Bernar Venet, New York. Marly Estate. |
I am thinking about the sunrises and sunsets, and the golden light that steeps the Corten steel in red and brown hints. The curves on my sculptures will contrast with the angular geometry in the gardens, and espouse the circular edges around the Basin d’Apollon and Grand Canal.
In short, his works intend to enhance and compliment the views so familiar to visitors of the palace.-Bernar Venet
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| Berner Vernet, Effondrement : 225.5° Arc x 16 at the Apollo Bassin. Photograph by Philippe Chancel. Palace of Versailles |
Even the palaces and pleasure grounds of the ci-devant royalty are respected as national property, and , as such, are carefully preserved.
The greater part of the furniture has been removed from Versailles- some of the paintings remain. Those by the best Masters have been sent to the Gallery of the Louvre, which is now the National Museum, where the collection greatly exceeds any other exhibition of the fine arts in the world. It is under the care of a committee, appointed to protect the arts, and is maintained in the most superb style. Such is the war, which these Goths and Vandals wage against the arts!
The late Queen's favorite residence of St Cloud remains as when she occupied it . The paintings will be sent to the museum, and the furniture will be sold.
At Versailles the King and Queen would dine publicly. You may recall the awkward yet humorous dining moments from the 2006 movie, Marie Antoinette. 
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"The costumes exhibited here evoke not only the exceptional circumstances accompanying the beginnings of national monarchy and the lives of European monarchs and courtiers (coronations and ceremonies of orders of chivalry) but also the prestigious events held at all courts, such as weddings." Versailles WebsiteThe show is only going to be assembled for a short time at Versailles. What will you find? An impressive display of over 200 pieces for you to spend an afternoon drooling and dreaming over! Many of the pieces will be on display for the first time out of their home country, and others are only on view this one time as they have been graciously lent by private owners! The show sadly will only be on view for 12 short weeks, so pencil in on your calendar to stop by the Palace of Versailles and check out this show!
This piece is called Louis XV donnant la Paix à l'Europe - Louis XV Bringing Peace to Europe. The work was done by François Lemoyne, a rival painter to de Troy. The piece can be viewed at the salon de la Paix. 
la Salon de la Guerre, Salon of War. The painting was placed there in 1729, and hangs above the mantelpiece surrounded by 6 busts of the Caesars.
In the painting, our main figure is Louis XV. Peace appears in the form of the olive branch between him and Europe. An ideal King, taking care of France right away! In the portrait he is only 19.
. It is rather saucy, with interesting details and accounts from those who inhabited the glamorous palace. From the time of the Sun King to Louis XVI, this 'biography' recalls interesting bits of history that took place under the guilt roofs of the Palace. The sheer gossip and juicy stories keep the pages turning.
At Versailles chamber pots were common as well, if not universal, and in the eighteenth century, despite attempts to stop the practice, servants on the upper stories frequently emptied them into the interior courts below. The dauphine Marie-Antoinette was once hit as she crossed the kings inner courtyards beneath the numerous windows of the king's mistress, Madame du Barry.
