Temple Of Love
by Iryna Goodall
Title
Temple Of Love
Artist
Iryna Goodall
Medium
Photograph
Description
Nestled behind the Chateau de Versailles there is a palace called Le Petit Trianon, meshed with a dreamy little hamlet created for the Queen Marie Antoinette.
Originally built for Madame de Pompadour, Petit Trianon ultimately became a 19 year old Marie Antoinette’s exclusive residence, which was her refuge from the demands of formal ‘court life’ and her royal responsibilities.
Temple of Love in the gardens of the Petit Trianon, on a small island just behind the palace, was not built to celebrate the queen's mythical love for Count Fersen as some authors have implied. The handsome Fersen knight was until then a well-known friend. Marie Antoinette had it built to celebrate the love between her and the king, the consummation of her marriage, a delay of many years.
Richard Mique was in charge of designing the neo-classical structure. In July 1778 the scaffolds were removed resulting in a masterpiece that has been admired by contemporaries. The dome was decorated with Conflans stone caissons, supported by twelve Corinthian columns.
At first, it was thought to place a white wax sculpture designed by José Deschamps, but the queen preferred a statue dating from 1746 sculpted by Edme Bouchardon: "the nudity and sensuality of adolescence." depicts Cupid carving his love darts with the Hercules club, an excellent symbol of the Rococo style. The demigod is transformed into a tender child, the club that breaks bones is transformed into arrows that strike the heart, at the moment when the marble is replaced by the stucco.
Marie Antoinette upon awakening could see from her bedroom window this beautiful temple. Completed in July 1778, the queen inaugurated it on September 3 giving a brilliant show for the king.
The temple is standing in the shade of tall trees, which give a scent perfumed by a large number of roses and other plants that surround it.
Today the original sculpture resides in the Louvre, while a replica of another 18th century sculptor, Louis-Philippe Mouchy, stands inside the temple.
Uploaded
May 13th, 2021
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