La recherche française récente sur Versailles et la cour. Problématiques et orientations

Abstract

In the last thirty years, French research on Versailles and the court has opened a new era in our knowledge of the workings of the Bourbon monarchy in France. In the nineteenth century, Royal Versailles had become a museum of French history, in accordance with the wishes of Louis-Philippe, while court history was still considered a fanciful affair. The resurrection of Royal Versailles first began with the Château’s curators. Art historians and specialized trades as well as significant endowments from the State and benefactors have participated in and contributed to the history of the genesis of the buildings; the study, inventory and restoration of the furniture, painted decorations, sculptures and gardens; and archaeological surveys of lost architectural ensembles (such as Marly). The promotion of the court as an historical object is more recent. It was initiated by sociologists and anthropologists, and historians followed, in a largely European context. The Centre de Recherche du Château de Versailles, founded in 2006, is mainly dedicated to the study of the ‘courtiers’. Its work, along with that of French and foreign academics, closely associates the history of institutions, people and practices with the places where they were located. Annual exhibitions organized by the Château de Versailles ensure the visibility of these different lines of research, converging in the knowledge of the object as a whole that is Royal Versailles.

Keywords

• absolutism
• apartments
• court
• courtier
• etiquette
• Hall of Mirrors