Harrison Whitmore 1
495 Words
The Palace of Versailles – An Architectural Argument for the French Revolution
On October 6th, 1789, a revolutionary mob raided the Palace of Versailles, the French monarchy’s opulent
seat of power. Excessive taxation, a pathetic attempt at democracy, and successive years of famine had
pushed the people of France to a breaking point. Fortunately, the crowd was dissuaded of their worst
impulses, so the Palace of Versailles still stands today as the ultimate symbol of royal excess and a
tangible explanation for the intensity of anti-monarchical sentiment in revolutionary France.
The extravagance of this façade and courtyard would be a peasant’s best glance at royal opulence. It is
easy to understand why a destitute Frenchman would be so furious at the nobility living here. (Fig. 1)
The palace’s definitively Baroque1 exterior is clearly intended to flaunt the immense wealth and power of
its residents to any onlookers. Anyone approaching the palace is first met with a comically ornate set of
solid-gold gates topped by the visage of a crown. A large courtyard lies between the golden gates and the
building itself, echoing the metaphorical distance between the peasantry and royalty. The façade, made of
elegantly contrasting red brick, white stone, and gray slate, continues this trend of intimidation and
excess. Busts of emperors line the walls, gazing down at any who approach. Solid gold décor appears
again along the roof and balconies, drawing a viewer’s eyes upwards to take in the building’s full
magnitude. Even the floor, made of patterned white and black marble, is decadent. Centrally, three sets of
double doors provide access to the building. Directly above them lies an enormous golden clock and the
balcony of the king’s personal chambers.
Marin Louis and Anna Lehmen, “Classical, Baroque: Versailles, or the Architecture of the Prince,” Yale French Studies 80
(1991): 167-182, accessed June 23, 2023, doi:10.2307/2930266
1
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The palace’s interior is no less offensively grand. As one might expect, the palace is extravagantly
decorated with precious metals, crystal chandeliers, and grandeur artwork. Greco-Roman themes are
present throughout the palace, with abundant columns and arches of white marble, several ceiling murals
depicting the Roman pantheon, and numerous busts. Another common theme in the palace is the
glorification of King Louis XIV, who is the man most responsible for developing Versailles from a simple
hunting lodge into the grand estate it is today2. The so called “Sun King” ensured that he was depicted
heroically in several paintings, murals, and statues. The over 2000 rooms inside the palace served a
variety of purposes in the palace’s prime, including grand (and separate) apartments for the king and
queen, an enormous chapel, and an assembly hall for the parliamentary Estates General. Versailles was
most infamously known for its lavish parties, which could be hosted in one of the many ballrooms
throughout the palace. Once such room is the iconic Hall of Mirrors, which admittedly makes excellent
use of light and reflection to make the space seem even more magnificent.
The Hall of Mirrors powerfully sets a wall of windows and a wall of mirrors opposite each other, greatly
enhancing this space. Unfortunately, in the greater context of the palace, the room’s magnificence is
unmistakably a further symptom of the royalty’s obsession with increasing their palace’s sumptuousness at
the expense of the people they rule. (Fig. 2, annotated)
The palace’s grandeur paints a clear and damning picture of royal extravagance during an era of
widespread plight. While the royals lounged in an obnoxiously decadent palace, famine ravaged the
nation. To pay for the aristocracy’s wild revelries, the people were taxed heavily. Examining the Palace of
Versailles provides significant context to the violent frustration exhibited by French revolutionaries and a
poignant warning against the misuse of power for selfish luxury.
2
“History,” last modified April 21, 2023, https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/history
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Bibliography
Marin Louis, and Anna Lehman. “Classical, Baroque: Versailles, or the Architecture of the Prince.”
Yale French Studies, 80 (1991): 167–182. Accessed June 23, 2023,
https://doi.org/10.2307/2930266.
Palace of Versailles. “History,” Last modified April 21, 2023. https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/history.
(Accessed June 22, 2023)
Fig. 1. Singh Wali, Kirandeep. Untitled Photo Depicting the Palace of Versailles. Digital Image. Available
from: Pexels, https://www.pexels.com/photo/palace-of-versailles-17283207/ (accessed June 25th, 2023).
Fig. 2. Unknown Artist, Versailles: Palace Int.: (Reproduction) State Apartments Hall of Mirrors. 1661-1756,
Unknown Medium, Unknown Size, Unknown Location. Available from: ARTstor,
https://doi.org/10.2307/artstor.13551299 (accessed June 23rd, 2023).