Bulletin du Centre de Recherche du Château de Versailles (Mar 2006)
La folle course de Charles Le Brun dans le Grand Salon de Vaux-le-Vicomte
Abstract
The Grand Salon at Vaux is a complex space, both original and incomplete. It still seems necessary to interpret its stucco decoration in relation to the other arts that constitute it, painting and architecture, trying to eliminate some of the mysteries beyond commonplace ideas. Our object is to link and distinguish these different arts in order to identify the hands that drew and realized the carved elements. Did the sculptor or sculptors of the terminuses diverge from the drawings of their originator Charles Le Brun, to better integrate them into the architectural limits imposed by Louis Le Vau? These terminuses are here attributed to Jacques Houzeau, with the exception of Winter, which is attributed to François Girardon. In the case of the reliefs the author we suggest, Jean Blanchard, faithfully followed the models established by Le Brun. Between liberty and constraint, connections and affinities between architect, painter and sculptors, brought to light by consulting the archives, determined in 1658 the realization of this original and unique programme.
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