Abstract
The gender studies in relation to ceremonial practice within the French court has not yet been extensively studied. Seldom, the etiquette has been addressed within the social court studies (Elias, 1969), history of art (Chatenet, 2002) and political theology (Kantorowicz, 1957), but without addressing the field of “Architecture and Privacy”.
I address this niche as part of my ongoing PhD focusing on its architectural significance. This paper frames the power balance within the French king’s court, represented by the gender separation of the king and queen’s private apartments in
the first floor of the château de Versailles. It considers three milestones: the Marie-Thérèse’s departure (1683), the establishment of the M.me de Maintenon’s one (1685), and the substantial expansion of Louis XIV’s appartaments particuliers (until 1701) around the Cour de Marbre.
Specifically, I explore the mutations on the dwelling setting from the initial proposal by François d’Orbay to the physical evolutions realised by J. Hardouin-Mansart; the reading of the architectural drawings will be supported by the analysis of the king’s iconography, namely the portraits of Louis by N.R. Jollain l’Ancien (c.1689) and the Maintenon’s one by L.Elle le Jeune (c.1688) referring to the external common topos of St Cyr.
I argue that the Versailles gender tension embedded in the architecture of the château strongly reflects the power development of Louis XIV, while the several adjustments of the apartments offer a fruitful occasion to situate the notion of privacy within this early modern case study.
I address this niche as part of my ongoing PhD focusing on its architectural significance. This paper frames the power balance within the French king’s court, represented by the gender separation of the king and queen’s private apartments in
the first floor of the château de Versailles. It considers three milestones: the Marie-Thérèse’s departure (1683), the establishment of the M.me de Maintenon’s one (1685), and the substantial expansion of Louis XIV’s appartaments particuliers (until 1701) around the Cour de Marbre.
Specifically, I explore the mutations on the dwelling setting from the initial proposal by François d’Orbay to the physical evolutions realised by J. Hardouin-Mansart; the reading of the architectural drawings will be supported by the analysis of the king’s iconography, namely the portraits of Louis by N.R. Jollain l’Ancien (c.1689) and the Maintenon’s one by L.Elle le Jeune (c.1688) referring to the external common topos of St Cyr.
I argue that the Versailles gender tension embedded in the architecture of the château strongly reflects the power development of Louis XIV, while the several adjustments of the apartments offer a fruitful occasion to situate the notion of privacy within this early modern case study.
Original language | English |
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Publication date | 9 Oct 2019 |
Publication status | Published - 9 Oct 2019 |
Event | Medieval and Early Modern Studies Symposium: Sex and Gender Politics - Northumbria University, Newcastle, United Kingdom Duration: 9 Oct 2019 → 9 Oct 2019 https://renaissance-events.blogspot.com/2019/05/cfp-medieval-and-early-modern-studies.html |
Conference
Conference | Medieval and Early Modern Studies Symposium: Sex and Gender Politics |
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Location | Northumbria University |
Country/Territory | United Kingdom |
City | Newcastle |
Period | 09/10/2019 → 09/10/2019 |
Internet address |
Keywords
- early modern
- Versailles
- iconography
- gender
- private apartments
- privacy
Artistic research
- No