Les marbriers des Bâtiments du roi

Abstract

Luxury material, symbol of beauty, of power and eternity, under the Ancien Régime, and in particular the reign of Louis XIV and the regency, marble was a regal material. All of the royal homes had flooring, panelling and fireplaces in vividly coloured marble, mostly originating in the kingdom’s quarries. The French pedigree of the marble responded to the royal policy established and consolidated by the directors of the Bâtiments du Roi. All these works had their artisans: Derbais, Dezègre, Pasquier, Ménard, Mathaut, Lisquy, Tarlé, Trouard, etc., so many names inseparable from the marble achievements in royal houses, but so often forgotten. Yet in this domain, they played a major role at all levels, from the quarry to the constructions site. This paper presents the organization of this métier, its place in the Bâtiments du Roi and its role in marble policy. It draws on the main realizations at Versailles, including the Bath apartment, the Ambassadors’ Staircase, the Queen’s Staircase, the Hall of Mirrors, the Hercules Salon, the fireplaces, and panelling of the King and Queen’s apartments. It will also discuss the construction of the gardens, the Colonnade grove and the other groves.