File:Versailles and the court under Louis XIV (1905) (14579553759).jpg

Identifier: versaillescourtu00farm (find matches)
Title: Versailles and the court under Louis XIV
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Farmer, James Eugene, 1867-1915
Subjects: Versailles (France) -- Description France -- Court and courtiers
Publisher: New York, The Century co.
Contributing Library: Wellesley College Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Wellesley College Library

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ement X had begged Louisto lend him Le Notre for some months that he might improvethe gardens of the Vatican. Upon Le Notres return,says Saint-Simon, the king led him into the gardens ofVersailles, and showed him what had been done in his ab-sence. About the Colonnade he said nothing. The kingpressed him to give his opinion thereupon. Why, Sire/said Le Notre, what can I say ? Of a mason you have madea gardener, and he has given you a sample of his trade/The king kept silence, and everybody laughed; and it wastrue that this morsel of architecture, which was anythingbut a fountain and yet was intended to be one, was much outof place in a garden. 1 Le Notre was slightly jealous ofMansart, and the Due de Saint-Simon was fond of belittlingall that the king did. The Colonnade still remains, andpeople can judge of it for themselves. It does not seem outof place in the gardens, but at present it is closed to thepublic, and can be viewed only through the iron gates.1 Saint-Simon, I, p. 169. 98
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Ill THE ORANGERY THE Orangery was constructed by Mansart from1684 to 1686, though, if we may believe Saint-Yenne, it was Le Notre who furnished the plans. Louis XIV, not being satisfied with the ideas ofhis architects for this building, asked Le Notre many timesto work at it. Le Notre excused himself always on theground that his talent was for gardening and not for build-ing. But the king having pressed him anew to think of it,an idea came to him one night, and he rose and traced outhis design. In the morning he showed it to His Majesty,who was so well pleased that he called Mansart and orderedhim to perfect Le Notres plan and execute it. * This large building, which supports the parterre du Midi,contains three long galleries, lighted by twelve windows.At the two ends were statues of Hercules and Mercury, andin the center a colossal marble statue of Louis XIV, clad asa Roman, a gift to the king from the Marechal de la Feuil-lade. The principal entrance is the Porte Royale, oppositethe

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