Vues De Versailles
Vues du Chateau et Jardins de Versailles, avec les Statues
Imprint
(Paris):: [s.n.],, [ca. 1689?]
Physical Description
[95] pl. (32 dble.); 522 mm. ( Broadsheet).
General Note
Plates [1-32] are double. Of these, plates [4,5, 23 and 32] are double and folding. Plates [4/5] and [19/20] form two long views. Plate [21] is inscribed by hand, '14'. Plates [2,7, 8, 17, 32] are pasted in.
Responsibility Note
Several plates are signed by draughtsmen - I. Silvestre (1, 3, 7-17, 25, 29-31), J.H. Mansart (4, 19), L. de Chastillon (22), J. Cotelle (24), P. Le Pautre (27, 28, 61, 71, 72-78, 88, 89), Le Brun (41-52). Most are signed by their engravers - I. Silvestre (1, 3, 7-17, 25, 29-31), P. Le Pautre (5, 26-28, 53-56, 59-95), I.B. Nolin (20), Perelle (21), L. de Chastillon (22), L. Simonneau le jeune (24), J. Edelinck (40, 43, 44, 47, 49), G. Edelinck (41, 42, 45, 46, 50), G. Audran (48, 51, 52), F. Chauveau (58).
Four plates carry publisher's imprints - of Israel Silvestre (pl. 2, 17), N. Langlois (21), C. Gournay (32).
References
RIBA, Early printed, 1 (1994), no. 518.
The plates engraved by Lepautre are described in Bibliothèque Nationale, Inventaire du fonds français Graveurs du XVIIe siècle Tome 11, 12 ... par Maxime Préaud (2 v., 1993, 1999).
A. Sauvy, 'L'illustration d'un règne: le Cabinet du Roi et les projets encyclopédiques de Colbert', in L'art du livre à l'Imprimerie nationale (Paris, 1973), p. 103-127; A. Jammes, 'Louis XIV, sa bibliothèque et le Cabinet du Roi', in The Library, 5. ser. 20:1 (Mar 1965), 1-12; J. Porcher, 'L'origine du Cabinet des planches gravées du roi', in Bulletin de la Société de l'histoire de l'art francais, 1928, p.45-52.
Summary Note
This collection of plates is without a title-page. It is listed in the 1802 Catalogue of the Royal Academy Library as 'Vues du Chateau et Jardins de Versailles, avec les Statues'. Most plates are dated (1664, 1667, 1672-4, 1676-84, 1688, 1689). Many of the suites of plates issued to record and celebrate the enterprises of Louis XIV's reign were reissued in twenty-three uniform volumes in 1727 with an accompanying Suite et arrangement des volumes d'estampes (which assigns its own titles to its various groups of plates). Compilations made before 1727 vary greatly in their contents.
The plates of the present compilation show:
[1-3] Plans of the chateau and near garden (drawn & engr. by Isr. Silvestre, 1680, 1667, 1674);
[4-5] Elevation of one side of the stables (engr. P. le Pautre after Mansart, 1689);
[6] General view (no signature or date);
[7,8] Views of chateau, forecourt (dr. & engr. Silvestre, 1664);
[9-11] Avenue, forecourt, garden front (dr. & engr. Silvestre, 1674);
[12-14] Garden front and garden (dr. & engr. Silvestre, 1682, 1674, 1676);
[17, 18] View from orangery (dr. & engr. Silvestre), and Plan of orangery (unsigned);
[19/20] Elevation of one side of the orangery (engr. Nolin after Mansart, 1688);
[21-31] Water features and fountains (engr. Perelle, L. Chastillon, L. Simonneau jun., I. Silvestre, P. le Pautre, 1677-89);
[32] Section of Marly waterworks (pub. C. Gournay);
[33-39] Statues (unsigned, undated);
[40] A statue of Latona (engr. J. Edelinck, 1679);
[41-52] Statues designed by Lebrun (engr. J. or G. Edelinck or Gir. Audran, 1679-81);
[53-60] Statues by P. Buyster, L. Lerambert (engr. Le Potre, one by Chauveau, one unsigned, 1672 or 1675);
[61-78] Fountains (dr. & engr. P. Le Pautre, 1672-9);
[79-87] Herms (engr. Le Potre, 1674);
[88, 89] Sphinxes (dr. & engr. Le Potre, 1676);
[90-95] Bronze vases by C. Ballin & F. Anguier (engr. Le Potre, 1672-77).
Provenance
Acquired between 1769 and 1802. Recorded in RAA Library, Catalogue, 1802.
Copy Note
Inscribed in ink on front endpaper, 'Ce Livre de Versailles est Complete en toutes manieres il y a de plus sept statues gravées par Edelinck qui sont dans le Petit Parc qui sont extraordinairement rares & d'autres figures qui manquent dans le plus part des copies de ce livre.' Plate [21] has number, caption, signature and imprint inscribed in ink: '14 Veüe du Belveder pour le bout du Canal de Versailles gravé par Perelle à Paris chez N. Langlois rüe St. Jacques à la Victoire avec Privilege.' Plate [23] has its caption inscribed in ink, 'Le Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon à Versailles'.
Binding Note
19th-century quarter morocco, brown cloth-covered boards, upper and lower covers inset with square of 18th-century mottled calf binding carrying gilt-stamped arms of France; gilt-decorated spine lettered 'R.A. 1672-75', red morocco spine-label lettered 'Vues De Versailles'. Bound with 'Plusieurs Grouppes De Figures Du Grand Escalier De Versailles, Dir L'Escalier Des Ambassadeurs' (n.d.).
Subject
Architecture, French - Sculpture - Statues - Palaces - Gardens - Garden structures - France - Versailles - Château de Versailles - 17th century - Baroque
Views - Plans - France - 17th century
Pictorial works - France - 17th century
Armorial bindings - France - 18th century