Pier Luigi Pizzi’s model of the Saint Denis ceremonies
It is an extraordinary exhibition that Béatrix Saule, the curator, and Pier Luigi Pizzi, the scenographer, offer us in Versailles to celebrate Louis XIV th’ 300th death anniversary, “Le roi est mort”. The ceremonial of the death, which lasted from August 25 (the feast of Saint Louis) to September 2, 1715, the autopsy, (heart, body and entrails were separated) and the funeral in Saint Denis 40 days later, make for a very dark (literally) and beautiful show with music and candles.
Louise-Françoise de Bourbon (1673-1743), princesse de Condé, en grand deuil, d’après Pierre Gobert, cira 1710 Château de Versailles
Far from the crowds of Galerie des Glaces or the Grands Appartements, you can spend a quiet hour reading the descriptions by surgeons and doctors, of Louis XIV th gangrene and admire the recreation and stagings of the Sun King’s death after a 72 year reign.
The death of Louis XIV in Versailles, Thomas Jones Henry Barker, 1835-1840, Saint-Quentin, musée Antoine Lécuyer
The first main room, with the staging of the funeral in Saint Denis cathedral, can be seen four times in the exhibition which always leads the visitor back to this core dark decor. The king organizes his succession on August 25 « Je m’en vais mais l’Etat demeurera toujours » (I go but the State will always be), orders his heart to be taken to the same jesuit church of Saint Louis on rue Saint Antoine than his father’s, and receives the last rites from Cardinal de Rohan.
A sculpture of Louis XIV, after Coisevox by J. Bühn
He says farewell to Madame de Maintenon on the 30 th and dies early on the 2nd of September. The very young Louis XV, painted by Rigaud, then appears.
What is interesting in this show is the mixture of hand written journals in beautifully bound books, the medical equipment and the pomp and circumstances, with mourning fashion worn by life-size mannequins. “Le grand deuil” and “le petit deuil” and some black and white fans in a window.
Louis XV painted as the new young King by Rigaud
The last room shows numerous paintings of famous funerals, including Victor Hugo at Panthéon and president Sadi Carnot at Notre Dame.
Pier Luigi Pizzi recreated a number of models of the ceremonial at Saint Denis. Films of 20 th century heads of state funerals, like King George VI, President Kennedy, De Gaulle and Brejnev, try to explain nowadays rites.
This is a jewel of an exhibit, very pretty to look at with extraordinary fabrics and sets, the great film by Sacha Guitry “Si Versailles m’était conté” shown in a separate video room. It is definitely a good excuse to go to Versailles which, at this time of the year, has no queues and is only 30 minutes away from Paris. (until February 21)
This center room designed by Pizzi is the core stage of the exhibit.
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