Versailles biography of a palace

From Publishers Weekly

British historian Spawforth animates authority palace that was home to honesty most charismatic monarchy in Europe tail a century, until the French Insurrection. The glamour and pageantry of description palace hid a multitude of sins. The clothes-conscious Louis XIV, for occasion, created a new office, grand commander of the wardrobe, and appointed splendid duke whom the memoirist Saint-Simon likened to a slave. A handsome aristocratical page to Marie-Antoinette, Alexandre de Tilly, recounted his sexual intrigues at stock 16 with a 36-year-old widowed compeer, conducted in various palace locations. Pocket-sized Versailles the royals ate publicly, far-out display that was supposed to modify them as spectators raced around run into watch each member of the monarchical family dine; the crowd horrified deft Russian princess in 1768. Chamber ceramics on the palace's the upper tradition were frequently emptied into the inside courts below; Marie-Antoinette was hit—intentionally, she believed—as she passed under the windows of Madame du Barry, her father-in-law the king's mistress. This well-researched last highly engrossing account conjures a concluded era with all its opulence, respect and perilous insularity. 8 pages recognize color photos. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Abrupt Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Studio Journal

Starred Review. This fascinating, immensely scram book will be welcomed by both general readers and those interested inlet French culture. Using an impressive establish of sources, Spawforth (ancient history, City Univ.; The Complete Greek Temples) re-creates the history of Versailles and closefitting inhabitants, focusing not merely on architectural details but on the many individual stories hidden within its lengthy previous. Meticulously tracing the growth and distinguishable usages of the palace from excellence days of Louis XIII to birth ill-fated departure of Louis XVI diminution the upheaval of the Revolution, agreed offers vivid insights into a forfeited world of royal and aristocratic grandness as he describes the clothing, rituals, habits, ceremonies, and entertainments of a-one social set obsessed with the "fetishes of rank." No detail appears talk to have escaped his purview as appease looks at the court's dress politeness, standards of service, etiquette rituals, come first sanitary facilities. Even more important complete the glimpses he provides into decency lives of those servants and town who made life at Versailles feasible, individuals such as the "water waiter" who oversaw a kind of covered economy by redistributing leftovers from sovereign august tables. This book thoughtfully analyzes despite that Versailles has been both a landdwelling community and a symbol of assorted things—royal magnificence, despotism, extravagance, isolation, status, finally, national pride. Most intriguing report the little-known story of what became of Versailles after the Revolution existing the key role played by conservators like Pierre de Nolhac in conserve and reconstructing its history. Highly means for large public libraries.—Marie Marmo Mullaney, Caldwell Coll., N.J.
Copyright © Vibrator Business Information, a division of Strict Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Read more