DOI issue:
No. 83 (February, 1900)
DOI article:Nolhac, Pierre de: The early fountains at Versailles
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19784#0036
The Early Fountains at Versailles
such and such a fountain, and is " perfectly satis- decorative style of Versailles; and the new Bassin
fied " with it, one may be sure that he will speedily du Dragon affords striking proof of the impossibility
cause it to be demolished, and order something of reconstituting satisfactorily a perished work of
even more elaborate in its place. Thus it is that art. Let us hope the taste for such experiments is
many of the things known to us from contemporary past, and that for the future we may content our-
plates have disappeared entirely, their loss, in some selves with reverently preserving the masterpieces
cases, giving cause for regret. which Time has spared.
The oldest of the fountains were placed close to Other two great decorative fountains were
the Chateau itself; they were decorated in 1666, ordered with those of the Dragon. They were
and were styled L'Amour and La Sirbie. Changes placed in the centre of the Gardens at the axis of
in the disposition of the gardens caused their the view from the Chateau to the Grand Canal,
removal shortly afterwards. A work of greater which was being dug at the time. These ornamental
importance—the Fontaine du Dragon—was de- waters were intended to mark the two extremities
stroyed in the reign of Louis XV. In the centre of the Allee Royale. They are still to be seen, the
was a dragon, from whose mouth issued a stream one called Latone, the other Apollon. The latter,
of water some 28 metres high, while four dolphins with its magnificent leaden group,—irreverently
were represented swimming round the monster, known to-day as the Char embourbe, or " cart in
Seated on swans were Cupids discharging their the mud"—remains precisely as it was originally,
arrows at the dragon. The brothers Marsy were At first it was called the Bassin des Cygnes, being
responsible for the modelling of this group, which, stocked with Denmark swans, purchased by Colbert,
with quite superfluous zeal, was re-constituted In 1668, as Mile, de Scudery tells us, the fountain
some ten years ago. The work produced by the contained " an infinity of tiny jets of water, which,
admirable modern sculptors entrusted with this combined, made up a stream of extraordinary
undertaking was altogether out of keeping with the height and volume." The commission for the
1.E BASSIN DE LATONE FROM A PHOTOGRAPH
23
such and such a fountain, and is " perfectly satis- decorative style of Versailles; and the new Bassin
fied " with it, one may be sure that he will speedily du Dragon affords striking proof of the impossibility
cause it to be demolished, and order something of reconstituting satisfactorily a perished work of
even more elaborate in its place. Thus it is that art. Let us hope the taste for such experiments is
many of the things known to us from contemporary past, and that for the future we may content our-
plates have disappeared entirely, their loss, in some selves with reverently preserving the masterpieces
cases, giving cause for regret. which Time has spared.
The oldest of the fountains were placed close to Other two great decorative fountains were
the Chateau itself; they were decorated in 1666, ordered with those of the Dragon. They were
and were styled L'Amour and La Sirbie. Changes placed in the centre of the Gardens at the axis of
in the disposition of the gardens caused their the view from the Chateau to the Grand Canal,
removal shortly afterwards. A work of greater which was being dug at the time. These ornamental
importance—the Fontaine du Dragon—was de- waters were intended to mark the two extremities
stroyed in the reign of Louis XV. In the centre of the Allee Royale. They are still to be seen, the
was a dragon, from whose mouth issued a stream one called Latone, the other Apollon. The latter,
of water some 28 metres high, while four dolphins with its magnificent leaden group,—irreverently
were represented swimming round the monster, known to-day as the Char embourbe, or " cart in
Seated on swans were Cupids discharging their the mud"—remains precisely as it was originally,
arrows at the dragon. The brothers Marsy were At first it was called the Bassin des Cygnes, being
responsible for the modelling of this group, which, stocked with Denmark swans, purchased by Colbert,
with quite superfluous zeal, was re-constituted In 1668, as Mile, de Scudery tells us, the fountain
some ten years ago. The work produced by the contained " an infinity of tiny jets of water, which,
admirable modern sculptors entrusted with this combined, made up a stream of extraordinary
undertaking was altogether out of keeping with the height and volume." The commission for the
1.E BASSIN DE LATONE FROM A PHOTOGRAPH
23