Plafondschildering in de Spiegelzaal van Kasteel Versailles 1752

Curator: Just gazing at this engraving by Louis Desplaces, made around 1752, I feel transported to the lavish halls of Versailles! The precision is astounding, isn't it? Editor: Absolutely. I am immediately struck by the scene’s overall triumphant and...how shall I put it?...utterly confident tone. So grand, so self-assured. It exudes a sort of untouchable power. Curator: It does! This print actually reproduces the ceiling painting found in the Hall of Mirrors. Editor: The Hall of Mirrors! Of course! All those reflections amplifying everything! Curator: Exactly. And Desplaces manages to capture all the key allegorical elements even in a monochrome print. Editor: You can almost feel the weight of all that symbolism pressing down. Tell me, what are the figures representing? Curator: Well, at the center we have France enthroned and laden with laurels, naturally, but all around are symbols of peace, military strength, abundance…everything, really. The very air is crowded with cherubs, mythical figures – glory in every corner! Editor: The way the light seems to radiate from the center emphasizes France’s status even further. Do you think this pursuit of idealized, somewhat inflated, imagery still has a place in the 21st century? Curator: Hmm... Maybe not quite so explicitly. But that deep human desire to find symbols, to project narratives of power and meaning onto our spaces and structures… that's still going strong. After all, aren't we all just trying to leave our mark, mirror our ideals? Editor: I agree, in this regard, perhaps the Sun King has more in common with contemporary artistic practice than we may at first believe. An unexpected insight for the day. Curator: And a very good reason to visit Versailles and the Hall of Mirrors.