Salon d'Hercule
Encyclopedia
The salon d'Hercule is on the first floor of the Château de Versailles and connects the chapel and the North Wing of the château with grand appartement du roi
.
Originally, the fourth and penultimate chapel, the salon d’Hercule occupies the tribune level of this chapel. Initially called the nouveau salon près de la chapelle (new salon near the chapel) when the room was started in 1710 by Robert de Cotte
for Louis XIV. However, with the death of Louis XIV in 1715 the project was postponed (Verlet, 321).
Beginning in 1724, work on the salon d’Hercule recommenced. Louis XV commissioned architect Jacques Gabriel
, marbrier Claude-Félix Tarlé, and sculptors Jacques Verberckt and François-Antoine Vassé to complete the room (Verlet, 321).
The room was completed in 1736 with the ceiling painting Apothéose d’Hercule (Apotheosis of Hercules) by François Le Moyne, which gave the room its present name (Verlet, 322).
There only two paintings decorating this room, both of which are by Veronese
. Above the fireplace is the artist’s Rebecca at the Well; on the opposite wall forming a pendant is the famed Feast in the House of Simon (Verlet, 322). Louis XIV received the latter painting as a diplomatic gift from the Republic of Venice in 1664. Owing to the size of the work – 4.5 meters high by 9.7 meters long – the painting was displayed in the galerie d’Apollon of the Louvre
. It was installed in salon d’Hercule in 1730 where it remained until 1832 at which time it was transferred to the Louvre
. In 1961 the Feast in the House of Simon was returned to the salon d’Hercule. In 1994, under the aegis of the Société des amis de Versailles and BNP the painting was restored.
During the reign of Louis XV the room served as a ball room as the king felt the salon de Mars was too small and the galerie des glaces
was too large. The inaugural ball held in the salon d’Hercule was on 26 January 1739 to celebrate the marriage of Louis XV’s eldest daughter Marie Louise-Élisabeth with Infante Filipe of Spain
(Luynes, 335-345); and the wedding dinner au grand courvert of the duc de Chartres on 5 January 1769 (Verlet, 323). After the destruction of the escalier des ambassadeurs in 1752, Louis XV planned for the salon d’Hercule to be the landing for a new staircase for the château (Verlet, 323).
During the reign of Louis XVI the salon d’Hercule served for diplomatic functions such as the embassy sent by the bey of Tunis (January 1777); the receptions of the representatives of the Three Estates of the Estates-General
(May 1789); and, the reception of the embassy of the sultan Mysore (September 1778) (Verlet, 555).
Grand appartement du roi
This article is about the grand appartement du roi of the Palace of Versailles.As a result of Louis LeVau’s envelope of Louis XIII’s château, the king and queen had new apartments in the new addition, known at the time as the château neuf...
.
Originally, the fourth and penultimate chapel, the salon d’Hercule occupies the tribune level of this chapel. Initially called the nouveau salon près de la chapelle (new salon near the chapel) when the room was started in 1710 by Robert de Cotte
Robert de Cotte
Robert de Cotte was a French architect-administrator, under whose design control of the royal buildings of France from 1699, the earliest notes presaging the Rococo style were introduced. First a pupil of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, he later became his brother-in-law and his collaborator...
for Louis XIV. However, with the death of Louis XIV in 1715 the project was postponed (Verlet, 321).
Beginning in 1724, work on the salon d’Hercule recommenced. Louis XV commissioned architect Jacques Gabriel
Jacques Gabriel
Jacques Gabriel was a French architect, the father of the famous Ange-Jacques Gabriel.His mother was a cousin of Jules Hardouin-Mansart and his father, another Jacques Gabriel was a masonry contractor for the Bâtiments du Roi, the French royal works, and the designer of the Château de Choisy for...
, marbrier Claude-Félix Tarlé, and sculptors Jacques Verberckt and François-Antoine Vassé to complete the room (Verlet, 321).
The room was completed in 1736 with the ceiling painting Apothéose d’Hercule (Apotheosis of Hercules) by François Le Moyne, which gave the room its present name (Verlet, 322).
There only two paintings decorating this room, both of which are by Veronese
Paolo Veronese
Paolo Veronese was an Italian painter of the Renaissance in Venice, famous for paintings such as The Wedding at Cana and The Feast in the House of Levi...
. Above the fireplace is the artist’s Rebecca at the Well; on the opposite wall forming a pendant is the famed Feast in the House of Simon (Verlet, 322). Louis XIV received the latter painting as a diplomatic gift from the Republic of Venice in 1664. Owing to the size of the work – 4.5 meters high by 9.7 meters long – the painting was displayed in the galerie d’Apollon of the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
. It was installed in salon d’Hercule in 1730 where it remained until 1832 at which time it was transferred to the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
. In 1961 the Feast in the House of Simon was returned to the salon d’Hercule. In 1994, under the aegis of the Société des amis de Versailles and BNP the painting was restored.
During the reign of Louis XV the room served as a ball room as the king felt the salon de Mars was too small and the galerie des glaces
Hall of Mirrors (Palace of Versailles)
The Hall of Mirrors is the central gallery of the Palace of Versailles and is renowned as being one of the most famous rooms in the world.As the principal and most remarkable feature of King Louis XIV of France's third building campaign of the Palace of Versailles , construction of the Hall of...
was too large. The inaugural ball held in the salon d’Hercule was on 26 January 1739 to celebrate the marriage of Louis XV’s eldest daughter Marie Louise-Élisabeth with Infante Filipe of Spain
Philip, Duke of Parma
Philip of Spain was Duke of Parma from 1748 to 1765. He founded the House of Bourbon-Parma , a cadet line of the Spanish branch of the dynasty...
(Luynes, 335-345); and the wedding dinner au grand courvert of the duc de Chartres on 5 January 1769 (Verlet, 323). After the destruction of the escalier des ambassadeurs in 1752, Louis XV planned for the salon d’Hercule to be the landing for a new staircase for the château (Verlet, 323).
During the reign of Louis XVI the salon d’Hercule served for diplomatic functions such as the embassy sent by the bey of Tunis (January 1777); the receptions of the representatives of the Three Estates of the Estates-General
French States-General
In France under the Old Regime, the States-General or Estates-General , was a legislative assembly of the different classes of French subjects. It had a separate assembly for each of the three estates, which were called and dismissed by the king...
(May 1789); and, the reception of the embassy of the sultan Mysore (September 1778) (Verlet, 555).
Gallery of images
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| Salon d'Hercule general view 1724-1736 Robert de Cotte Robert de Cotte Robert de Cotte was a French architect-administrator, under whose design control of the royal buildings of France from 1699, the earliest notes presaging the Rococo style were introduced. First a pupil of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, he later became his brother-in-law and his collaborator... , Jacques Gabriel Jacques Gabriel Jacques Gabriel was a French architect, the father of the famous Ange-Jacques Gabriel.His mother was a cousin of Jules Hardouin-Mansart and his father, another Jacques Gabriel was a masonry contractor for the Bâtiments du Roi, the French royal works, and the designer of the Château de Choisy for... , Antoine Vassé, Claude Tarlé |
Rebecca at the Well second half of the 16th century by Paolo Caliari called Veronese Paolo Veronese Paolo Veronese was an Italian painter of the Renaissance in Venice, famous for paintings such as The Wedding at Cana and The Feast in the House of Levi... , (1528–1588) |
Feast in the House of Simon 1570 by Paolo Caliari called Veronese Paolo Veronese Paolo Veronese was an Italian painter of the Renaissance in Venice, famous for paintings such as The Wedding at Cana and The Feast in the House of Levi... , (1528–1588) |
Apotheosis of Hercules 1733-1736 (ceiling) by François Le Moyne, (1688–1737) |