La Grande Galerie De Versailles, Et Les Deux Salons Qui L'Accompagnent, Peints Par Charles Le Brun premier Peintre de Louis XIV, Dessinés par Jean-Baptiste Massé Peintre & Conseiller de l'Académie Royale de Peinture & Sculpture; Et Gravés sous ses yeux par les meilleurs Maîtres du tems.
RA Collection: Book
Record number
03/2268
Imprint
A Paris,: De L'Imprimerie Royale., M. DCCLII.
Physical Description
[iv], 18 p., 52 pl. (25 dble); 655 mm. (Folio).
Contents
[T.p.] - Avertissement - [Text: description of the pl.] - [Plates].
Responsibility Note
All plates are signed as painted by Le Brun and drawn by Massé; and each is signed as engraved by one of the following: Laurent [i.e. Andrew Lawrence?], Cochin fils, Dupuis le jeune, Tardieu fils, Desplaces, Dupuis l'ainé, Preisler, Beauvais, Cars, Simoneau, Soubeiran, de Will, Lepicié, J.M. Liotard, Tardieu père, Duflos, Surugue père, Thomassin, Aveline, Ravenet, Audran, Aubert. The first plate is also signed as lettered by Bailleul l'ainé.
References
M. Gareau & L. Beauvais, Charles Le Brun (1992; English tr. 1992); G. Walton, Louis XIV's Versailles (1986); Le Brun à Versailles [exhibition catalogue] (1985).
Summary Note
Le Brun decorated the ceilings of the Grands Appartements at Versailles as part of a general decorative scheme for the whole palace and park. The ceiling of the gallery shows various exploits of Louis XIV.
Provenance
Inscribed in ink on the title page, 'Given by Joseph Wilton to the Royal Academy'. This book was one of two that G. M. Moser, as the acting RA Librarian in 1781, dared to recommend to William Blake (at the time a student in the RA Schools) as more worthy of study than the works of Michelangelo and Raphael.
Binding Note
19th-century half pigskin, green cloth-covered boards; spine lettered 'La Grande Galerie De Versailles. R.A. 1752'.
Ceilings - Interior decoration - Paintings, European - Paintings, French - Palaces - France - Versailles - 17th century
Rulers - Monarchs - Publicizing - Public Relations - France - French - Europe - 17th century
Pictorial works - France - 18th century