HARDOUIN-MANSART, Jules
(b. 1646, Paris, d. 1708, Marly-le-Roi)

Interior view

1679-87
Photo
Galerie des Glaces, Château, Versailles

The Galerie des Glaces, with its connecting reception rooms, the Salon de la Guerre and the Salon de la Paix, form the suite of apartments linked with the garden. They provided a sumptuous framework for court festivities and the reception of high-ranking guests.

The seventy-five-meter-long Galerie des Glaces, the Hall of Mirrors was begun in 1679 and completed in 1687. The interior decoration was created by Charles Le Brun, who, according to Colbert, developed for it a unique "French order of architecture" with which to structure the walls. The outstanding feature here, however, is the reflected light from the countless mirrors. They reflect the sunlight or even the candlelight and effectively realize the metaphor of the Sun King."

The picture shows the interior of the Galerie des Glaces (Hall of Mirrors).




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