Versailles: The Sun King's Authentication

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Versailles: An Illusion of The Sun King’s Authentication
The Palace of Versailles is among the most well regarded architectural pieces of modern Europe. The masterpiece was originally established in 1624 as a hunting lodge and chateau for Louis XIII of France (reigned 1610-1643). His successor, Louis XIV (reigned 1643-1715), turned the building into an extravagant palace in which he would live in full time; once he moved to Versailles he never went back to Paris due to his issues with the parlement of Paris (The Palace of Versailles, Encyclopedia Britannica). The illustrious palace is laced with detail and exuberance meant to glorify Louis XIV himself. Louis XIV used Versailles as propaganda for his role as an absolute monarch. An Absolute …show more content…

All throughout the landscape is symmetry which signifies rigid strength, similar to the rule of Louis. The baroque and rococo styles makes the building hard to look at up close; in order to fully admire the entire complex one must retreat respectfully in its presence. Straight columns and lines of the building show strength and dominance. As an absolute monarch Louis needed to show his superiority over all. He made sure Versaille would also contribute to his dominance. On top of the palace gates is the crown of France, which would mean all who visited Versailles must actually be under the crown of France. Louis used details like this throughout Versailles to remind spectators of his sovereignty. Lastly, the overall presiding feeling of Versailles as a whole is exclusive; there is distinctly a difference between the palace grounds and the outside city. In France at the time there was a great financial divide between the wealthy and the poor, hence the exclusivity in …show more content…

All aspects of the room are meant to glorify the king and his actions. The center painting on the ceiling, The King Governs for Himself 1661 by Charles Le Brun, depicts Louis gaining full authority of the crown (The Glory of France Restored to Louis XIV’s Glittering Ideal, New York Times). Louis looks up to the Gods, drawing his arm to them, asking for their approval. The gods, all on clouds, look down to the king and convey their confirmation of his legitimacy without words. The image is a prime source of propaganda due to Louis’s close relationship to the gods, making him appear godly himself. Louis claimed his legitimacy was drawn from the divine right of kings, and here he proves his consent from the gods. (The Hall of Mirrors, Cháteau de Versailles) (The Hall of Mirrors: History and

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