Paris - A Parterre Garden - Versailles

Plate CXV – A Parterre Garden…

Back at the palace, and turning only slightly to the right of the spot where I had taken that earlier view of the Grand Canal (over the Bassin de Latone) is this example of one of two mirrored parterre gardens surrounding yet another smaller bassin and fountain.

A popular decorative element of many late nineteenth and early twentieth century European city homes was the use of landscape murals, featuring idealised pastoral or country scenes, often with brilliantly executed trompe l’œil effects, and just as often conjured up only in the imagination of the artist. If I were to ever indulge in such a decorating device myself this scene would surely provide a realistic inspiration. I was once again reminded how difficult it is in Versailles, as in the city of Paris itself, not to go completely shutter crazy with a camera in one’s hands. This scene, especially the foliage colours, reminds me (as do many other views in the Versailles’ gardens) of the magnificent scenic tapestries woven by the works of the Gobelins and especially the Aubusson factories featuring realistically wooded backgrounds. Examples of these are to be found in some of the Loire valley châteaux.