Baroque Style Of The Palace Of Versailles's Hall Of Mirrors

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Annually, millions of people travel to northern France to view the grand and pompous Baroque style of the Palace of Versailles’s Hall of Mirrors. Built in 1698 during the reign of Louis XIV, the Palace of Versailles stood for over 100 years as “the primary residence of the kings of France and the seat of the government,” and in 1979, the Palace of Versailles and its gardens were decreed a World Heritage site by the UNESCO. An examination of the Palace’s Hall of Mirrors will reveal a dramatic use of light, symmetry, large-scale frescoes, a shell for painting, sculpture, and stucco, and an opulent use of rich color and accessories common to a French Baroque-style interior. Louis XII (r. 1610 - 1643) used the initial residence as a hunting lodge and retreat for his family, and in 1624, he commissioned Jacques Lemercier to build a chateau on the site, which remains as “the exterior façade overlooking the Marble Court.” From 1661 to 1710, Louis XIV oversaw the residential transformation of the majestic complex surrounded by gardens. All of the design were “intended to glorify the king.” Architects Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Robert de Cotte, and Louis Le Vau oversaw the renovations and additions. The landscape architect was Andre Le Notre and the interior decorator was Charles Le Brun, who was the first painter to the King. During the reign of Louis XIV, Italy lost its power and the religious wars ended. France, which grew in trade and wealth, became the new power. With