Tuesday 15 March 2011

Le bâtisseur de Versailles

This is Jules Hardouin-Mansart. I have already shown his bust and told you about him here and some of you might remember him in the snow storm. Without this great architect, how would Versailles palace and city have looked? No one knows... Oh, this 1854 statue by A. A. Préault stands right opposite another great man, André Le Nôtre the palace gardener, the good looking guy I showed you here.
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Voici Jules Hardouin-Mansart. Je vous ai déjà montré son buste et raconté ce grand architecte ici. Certains d'entre vous se souviendront peut-être de lui dans la tempête de neige. Qu'auraient été le château et la ville de Versailles sans lui ? Nul ne le saura jamais... Ah, cette statue de 1854 d'A. A. Préault s'élève juste en face de celle d'André Le Nôtre le jardinier, le bel homme que je vous montrais ici.

24 comments:

Olivier said...

tu aimes bien l'effet zooming. statue impressionnante, bon a evry, je pense pas que l'on rendra hommage au batisseur ;))

Lowell said...

So many statues, so little time. And do you think these guys were all as handsome as portrayed? Just wondering.

Re your comment about "still young and already lonely" - that would make a great country song and if I had more time, I'd write it!

Kay L. Davies said...

Amazing architecture in Versailles. I'm looking forward to seeing it.
-- K

Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

Anonymous said...

I'm a thin-haired, jeans and t-shirt kinda guy, so I just can't relate ;-)

Seriously, I love the the shot and the subject.

Anonymous said...

He surely stands out, of time and life. Guess he must be proud of his achievement.

Please have a good Tuesday.

daily athens

SRQ said...

What a handsome statue! Looks like he's gazing into the distance admiring his work.

Jack said...

Ciel, I think you have a link mixed up. I clicked on your link at "... told you about him 'here ... " and the link brought me to Le Notre. Still, they were all geniuses.

Bob Crowe said...

These statues often have the same posture, one knee thrust forward, a posture of pride. Maybe this guy deserves it.

Randy said...

I want to cut his hair! Nice photo.

Small City Scenes said...

Nice hair---are you sure he isn't the model on some romance novels. LOL
Such History your part of the world has. We are neophytes. MB

cieldequimper said...

@ Jack: thanks. It's corrected.

VP said...

A great man, he left something beautiful toe posterity.

Francisca said...

Quite a dandy... but then the city he designed was quite dandy too... and we get to admire it still.

Lowell said...

Hi Ciel...sorry about your weather. Maybe it's better now. Re your comment on Florida Fotos: Yes, it's an old film photo, scanned. Came out pretty good, I think!

Sometimes it's hard to beat film!

Malyss said...

ça me fait penser que 1) aujourd'hui on n'erige plus de statues aux hommes illustres.2) peut-être parce que nous n'avons plus de tels genies auxquels rendre un tel hommage...

Cezar and Léia said...

he looks charming! :)
Beautiful sculpture!
Léia

tapirgal said...

Oh, I'll bet the ladies of the great houses enjoyed having him come to design their gardens. No wonder he was so popular!

tapirgal said...

That comment above was meant for the Le Notre link!!! Oh, well. Of course, where would architecture be without this guy?

Halcyon said...

I like this perspective on him. Makes him seem larger than life!

Doug Hickok said...

He looks very statuesque :^) I'd love to have his hair and his talent.

Bergson said...

il n'y a que des grands hommes à Versailles
et quelques femmes ?

Loree said...

Now that's what I call a man with a vision :)

Sharon said...

Marvelous statue and I'm enjoying the tones in this photograph.

Sharon

EG CameraGirl said...

I enjoy seeing statues that show us what well-known people looked like and how they dressed.