Versailles: A Private Invitation

Whether it’s Marie-Antoinette’s boudoir, the wings of the Queen’s theater, or even the Orangerie on a beautiful wintery day, these singular photographs reveal the many facets of Versailles and offer readers unprecedented access to this historical treasure.. From the most renowned rooms to the gardens, passing through the Trianon or the Queen’s hamlet, Versailles contains many extraordinary details, transformed according to the light or the shadow. While Versailles has been described in detail since the reign of Louis XIV, numerous apartments in the palace and their outbuildings are inaccessible to the public due to their fragility or state of preservation. Exquisite photography of one

Béatrix Saule is chief curator and director of the research center at the Château de Versailles. . Francis Hammond’s photographs have been published in Mariage Frères French Tea (2003) and Elegant Entertaining (2009) and in lifestyle magazines such as Elle Décor and Martha Stewart Living

Squirllvr said Shed a new light on a much written about landmark. This book really put Versailles in some of the most intimate point of view. I read and collected many books on Versailles, including the quintessential book of Versailles by Gerald van der Kemp, but much has change to the edifice since that publication. This book shows Versailles in present condition, including the restored Cour de Marbre. Although it would be almost impossible to cover the whole chateau in one book, this book gave a significant examples of Versailles past glories including some of the intimate touch that makes the place more humane, especially the artifac. Children's Book Lover! said Gorgeous photos, (sometimes) clumsy translation. The photos in this beautiful volume are indeed exquisite, and are gorgeously captured. Many are of a more intimate scale than those taken with the expansive grandeur and wide framing we are used to from other books on Versailles. Although I agree with other reviewers that I had hoped to see at least some photos of the rarely-seen private areas -- parts of the palace that are not on public view I was still exceedingly happy with the intimate feeling and exceptional quality of this book. Photos in extreme close-up capture fantastic details a section of parquet floor where th. "An Exquisite Book With Gorgeous Photos!" according to Happy Reader. I LOVE the format of this book. Page after page of photographs, most full-page, alternating between close-ups and regular view. Text is nicely limited in quantity but outstanding in quality. This is not a "History of Versailles" book. Sure, you get a smattering of history here and there, but most of the text is either photo captions giving details about the photo subject, or short paragraphs of what-happened-in-this-room, including excerpts from diaries and correspondence.For example, I got a kick out of a page in the chapter on The King's Apartments, an excerpt from Saint

About the Author Francis Hammond’s photographs have been published in Mariage Frères French Tea (2003) and Elegant Entertaining (2009) and in lifestyle magazines such as Elle Décor and Martha Stewart Living. Béatrix Saule is chief curator and director of the research center at the Château de Versailles.