The Buffet d'eau of the Trianon

WRITTEN IN FRENCH

The new volume of the « État des lieux » collection to follow the restorations of the Palace of Versailles.

Built in 1702 to the plans of Jules Hardouin-Mansart and the directives of Louis XIV, the Buffet d'Eau, located in the gardens of the Grand Trianon, is a masterful composition that has no equal in all the gardens and groves of Versailles. With a depth of 12 metres, it consists of three marble tiers, in red and white hues, similar to the pilasters of the Grand Trianon and perfectly complementing the harmony between the palace and its surroundings. The basin is surmounted by mythological figures made of lead, once gilded.
As the last renovation of the Buffet d'Eau dates back to 1892, a major restoration of this monumental Italian-inspired fountain was undertaken in January 2022, thanks to the sponsorship of the Bru Foundation. Completed in the spring of 2023, this project required the intervention of very specific know-how. It has enabled the revival of a little-known but monumental fountain in the gardens of Trianon, which thus regains some of the magnificence desired by Louis XIV for his country residence, and which this book endeavours to restore.

French
64 pages / 80 illustrations

Co-publishing Réunion des musées nationaux - Grand Palais / Château de Versailles
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