The king liked to entertain his court in Versailles and hunting, playing musical instruments and betting at games, organizing big balls with fireworks, were part of the court’s daily rituals. For Christmas and to honor Beatrix Saule’s extraordinary « reign » as director and curator in chief of Versailles, the exhibition « Fêtes et divertissements à la cour » assembled many wonderful artists.
The first room shows three monumental tapestries based on Oudry’s drawings of Louis XV th’s hunting scenes. The king on horseback directs the dogs. “Le déjeuner de chasse” by Jean-François de Troy (1737) came from the Louvre to illustrate the happiness of these sporty moments. And there is even a very feminine portrait of Duchesse de Bourgogne hunting with falcons with her ladies in waiting.
The next room is devoted to famous actors, (“French comedians” by Watteau) and writers or composers (Molière by Mignard and Grétry by Elisabeth Vigée Lebrun), then comes a salon de musique with only one harpsichord and a harp but many portraits by Nattier of royal princesses playing an instrument.
Then come outdoor sports such as le Jeu de mail (premisces of croquet or golf ?), boating on the grand canal and all sorts of games: card games, billard, tric trac (the ancestor of backgammon). They all generate beautiful pieces of furniture and accessories such as this incredibly moving handwritten list of players and a small game of cards made of rough cardboard « which the King’s hand touched » as the scenographer Patrick Hourcade told me at the end of the exhibition. His previous show on classical furniture in 2014 was already a huge hit. He managed this time, to play with decors of multiple operas and books on tricky games, many engravings of balls and fireworks, such different items that putting them together is a tour de force.
Henry Purcell will be played in the Opéra Royal in December, Lully in January, Rossini in February and Monteverdi and Mozart in March. Many concerts take place in the Chapelle Royale.
The show is a feast of erudite research and if you can face driving up to Versailles, which becomes a pleasure on a sunny day, you will come out of it exhilarated.
While I was leaving the show, Catherine Pégard, the wonderful President of Versailles who was recently renewed, whispered in my ear: the new curator in chief is chosen, his name is Laurent Salomé, 53, a specialist of XVII th century drawings who has already curated exceptional Impressionists exhibitions in the Rouen museum which he directed for ten years and more recently at the Grand Palais. Everyone seems happy with this nomination!
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2 Comments on “A new curator for Versailles and much Royal entertainment”
How lovely! Thanks you so much Laure! The playing cards are wonderful — so intimate.
I would like to know how to contact Laurent Salome. I have some Marie and Louis wedding memorabilia we have passed from generation to generation through the L’Amour family. Marie Frances L’Amour.