DOI Heft:
No. 83 (February, 1900)
DOI Artikel:Nolhac, Pierre de: The early fountains at Versailles
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19784#0042
The Early Fountains at Versailles
to those already in the scheme. This bas-relief to be swimming in the great lake hollowed out of
is perhaps one of the finest hitherto produced." the turf.
And even to this day, with its ruddypatine, it is In the lower parts of the Gardens were erected
certainly one of the most noble things to be seen the "Four Seasons." During the year 1672,
in the Gardens. This bas-relief and the other the designs were produced, and Colbert distributed
details of the basin were entirely gilded. As for the work among the four chief sculptors of the
the pyramid which crowned the whole, one is day. Tubi took Spring (Flora); Regnaudin,
conscious of a mingling of effects, the gold being Summer (Ceres); G. Marsy, Autumn (Bacchus);
confined to the figures, while the ornamentations and Girardon, Winter (Saturn). Child forms
are in bronze. The painter-gilder, Bailly, received were grouped around the chief figures, and
in 1671, 1,400 livres "on account of the gilding there were other accessories in the form of
and bronzing applied to the fontaine en pyramided garlands of flowers, which were destined soon
It is not always easy to grasp the exact meaning of to disappear.
notes such as this, but they are interesting, never- To-day there remain but two of these groups,
theless, in regard to the history of the Gardens and which, despite their modern renovation, are still
their decoration. charming. " Saturn " and " Bacchus " are intact,
Honour is certainly due to Le Brun as the and will, I trust, remain so. Time has invested
inventor of the general motif of the Pyramid them with a delicate patine, in which one may
fountain; but it must be added that Girardon see traces of the gilding of other days. They
interpreted the painter's ideas with extreme fulness. stand in a remote part of the park, and there,
His work, recently restored, still keeps its place far from the crowd, their admirers—especially
above the Alice d'Eau, with its four super" their poetical admirers—may often be seen in
imposed basins, the highest resting on four crayfish reverent admiration. Their quality is obvious,
serving as supports, the second borne by four and needs no enhancement from the fugitive
dolphins, the third by four young Tritons, and the animation of the waters.
fourth by four Tritons of larger mould, who appear Pierre Die NoLHAC.
, lb BASSIN DE SATURNE
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH
29
to those already in the scheme. This bas-relief to be swimming in the great lake hollowed out of
is perhaps one of the finest hitherto produced." the turf.
And even to this day, with its ruddypatine, it is In the lower parts of the Gardens were erected
certainly one of the most noble things to be seen the "Four Seasons." During the year 1672,
in the Gardens. This bas-relief and the other the designs were produced, and Colbert distributed
details of the basin were entirely gilded. As for the work among the four chief sculptors of the
the pyramid which crowned the whole, one is day. Tubi took Spring (Flora); Regnaudin,
conscious of a mingling of effects, the gold being Summer (Ceres); G. Marsy, Autumn (Bacchus);
confined to the figures, while the ornamentations and Girardon, Winter (Saturn). Child forms
are in bronze. The painter-gilder, Bailly, received were grouped around the chief figures, and
in 1671, 1,400 livres "on account of the gilding there were other accessories in the form of
and bronzing applied to the fontaine en pyramided garlands of flowers, which were destined soon
It is not always easy to grasp the exact meaning of to disappear.
notes such as this, but they are interesting, never- To-day there remain but two of these groups,
theless, in regard to the history of the Gardens and which, despite their modern renovation, are still
their decoration. charming. " Saturn " and " Bacchus " are intact,
Honour is certainly due to Le Brun as the and will, I trust, remain so. Time has invested
inventor of the general motif of the Pyramid them with a delicate patine, in which one may
fountain; but it must be added that Girardon see traces of the gilding of other days. They
interpreted the painter's ideas with extreme fulness. stand in a remote part of the park, and there,
His work, recently restored, still keeps its place far from the crowd, their admirers—especially
above the Alice d'Eau, with its four super" their poetical admirers—may often be seen in
imposed basins, the highest resting on four crayfish reverent admiration. Their quality is obvious,
serving as supports, the second borne by four and needs no enhancement from the fugitive
dolphins, the third by four young Tritons, and the animation of the waters.
fourth by four Tritons of larger mould, who appear Pierre Die NoLHAC.
, lb BASSIN DE SATURNE
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH
29