marie-antoinette a versailles

by Cécile Berly

Admired or hated, Marie-Antoinette continues to fascinate.
From her arrival in the Palace as Dauphine in May 1770 to her forced departure in October 1789, Marie-Antoinette shaped Versailles in her own image.
The only queen to have truly reigned in Versailles, she was familiar with all the restrictions and boredom of courtly life, the luxury, pleasures and scandals of royal privilege and the first stirrings of the Revolution. She invented an art of living that was both intimate and sumptuous by using the talents of the greatest artists of her time.
From the Grand Apartments to the inner rooms of the Palace, from the Petit Trianon to the Hamlet, the historian Cécile Berly takes us through the life of Marie-Antoinette and tells us about the places and events that featured the last queen of France in Versailles.

Genres: History, France, Art, Nonfiction, 18th Century

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Giorgia Penzo]

Le Versailles de Marie Antoinette di Cécile Berly è un saggio ricco di illustrazioni e aneddoti, perfetto per chi vuole avere un assaggio dei tanti luoghi toccati dall'ultima regina di Francia. Nessuna fotografia o descrizione - per quanto bella o accurata - potrà mai rendere l'idea della suggestione e della storia che si respira alla Reggia di Versailles, uno dei luoghi che più amo al mondo (e da dove viene questa copia in lingua inglese). Di sicuro però potranno ispirarvi, farvi sognare. E forse convincervi a passare un pomeriggio dove la reine e le sue dame, anche se invisibili, sono più presenti che mai.

[Beverly Diehl]

Charming short (112 pages) overview of Marie Antoinette's life at Versailles, and the associated estates of the Petit Trianon and her Hamlet. Nothing compares with seeing these rooms, gardens and portraits in person (and I was lucky enough to do so, earlier this month!), but it gives some wonderful added background detail.

There is a nice blend of photos, drawings, and text, without there being too much of any of the above. It's also interesting to see how things are described; the bed coverings, chairs, and wall hangings in the Queen's Bedchamber are described as having an "ears of wheat" pattern; silly me, I saw only the roses and lilies of the valley.

Fun to read and look at after a visit; would have also been interesting to read before a visit.

[Rachel Hodges]

I purchased this book in the Versailles gift shop a couple years ago. This book is well written and not at all dry, with poignant, interesting facts about Marie Antoinette and her contemporaries. The photographs are sumptuous. I love to flip through and look at details I didn't notice while walking through. Highly recommend this book.

[Carolyn Harris]

Beautifully illustrated book about Marie Antoinette's staterooms and private rooms at Versailles as well as the Petit Trianon and Hamlet. The author also provides a brief biography of Marie Antoinette and a timeline of a typical day for the Queen at Versailles. There are a few translation/typographical errors in the English edition but still an excellent read and Versailles gift shop souvenir!

[Madame Jane]

LOVED IT.

[marissa]

picture of kirsten dunst's marie antoinette on the very last page is so real

[Noëmie N]

(Trop) petit livre mais dense.
De nombreuses photos afin de découvrir les secrets de certains endroits du château et autres parties du domaine.
De nombreuses explications, peu détaillées mais suffisantes pour se remémorer les détails de la vie de MA.
Livre court simple et rapide à lire, que j'ai beaucoup apprécié.

[Annie]

Bought this at Versailles, only just read it now that I'm at home. It's been over a month since I was at the palace, and this book (and the lovely photographs) really brought me back. It is probably one of the best souvenir books I bought while I was abroad.