This quarter, I really enjoyed the brief lecture on the artwork at the Chateau de Versailles in France. During the summer of 2010, I was fortunate to spend three weeks traveling throughout France with a group of classmates. On one of our day trips we visited the Palace of Versailles. Although it was a very humid summer day, the chateau was incredibly crowded. The enormity of the palace and the vastness of the gardens are truly astounding to see in person. The grand estate and lavish artwork epitomize the extravagant lifestyle of Louis XIV and his aristocratic followers.
From 1643 to 1715, the extravagant king Louis XIV reigned over France. During this period, he heightened the status of the monarchy and built the amazing Chateau de Versailles. Originally, Versailles was a court hunting lodge which Louis decided to rebuild into an immense palace. In the early 1660s, Louis funded a massive restoration of the parks and gardens surrounding the lodge. Then, in 1668, he hired the famous French architect Louis le Vau to build the “the grand apartments of the king and queen as well as the stone façade of the Château facing the garden” (Louis le Vau). Le Vau included various elements of Baroque architecture such as movement, theatricality, and projecting sculptures. Although there is some Baroque influence, the architecture at Versailles is still very classical. Louis XVI hired other talented individuals to complete his palace including the gardener Andre Le Nôtre and the painter Charles Le Brun. These incredible artists worked for years to further expand and embellish the palace of Versailles. Today the Versailles estate covers over 19,000 acres. The enormous palace includes more than 700 rooms, which can occupy thousands of visitors. The vast gardens contain about 50 fountains, 200,000 trees, and 210,000 flowers. 
One of the most extravagant rooms in the palace is the Hall of Mirrors, renovated by Le Vau’s successor, Jules Hardouin-Mansart. In addition to adding the long wings onto the central palace, Hardouin-Mansart redesigned the palaces main hall. One side of the hall is lined with windows while the opposite wall is covered in mirrors. During the 17th century, windows and mirrors were incredibly expensive. However, Louis XVI would spare no expense to build the palace of his dreams. During the day, the Hall of Mirrors fills with sunlight causing the room to appear even larger. Huge, shining chandeliers hang from the ceiling to light the hall at night. The ceiling is also covered in dramatic paintings and the room is filled with decadent gold sculptures. The Hall of Mirrors typifies the lavish lifestyle of Louis XIV and his court.
While Louis XIV reigned over France, he taxed his citizens to afford the extravagant Chateau de Versailles. Louis and other aristocrats were able to live an incredibly abundant lifestyle at the expensive of the French people. However, thanks to this opulent lifestyle, visitors are able to experience the extraordinarily lavish French artwork of the 16th century.
"Louis Le Vau ." Palace of Versailles. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Mar. 2012. <http://en.chateauversailles.fr/history/versailles-during-the-centuries/the-palace-construction/louis-le-vau-1612-1670>.
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