How does King Louis XIV's history reflect the louvre - Research Paper Example

This brief analysis will look at the Louvre from the perspective of what additions and changes Louis XIV added, what unique architectural flavors he added, and the overall reason that he eventually abandoned this project and moved his palace to the southern shore of France at Versailles. Although the Louvre was already in existence when Louis XIV began his reign, it was this monarch that provided some of the biggest changes to the aging and outdated structure/palace. One of the first projects and additions that Louis XIV made was the addition of the Pavillon de l’Horloge (or the Clock Pavilion as it is more commonly known in the English speaking world).

This Clock Pavilion is not only indicative of the Baroque era architecture that was championed by the artists of the time, it also holds unique elemental details of the opulence and grandeur that came to define the rule of Louis XIV and served as further inspiration for him when the palace was eventually moved to Versailles. Although the Clock Pavilion is but one example, it is indicative of a larger whole with respect to the fact that many of the renovations and facade developments that the Louvre underwent during this time mirrored the architectural schemes that were developed originally at the Clock Pavilion.

A secondary example of the changes that Louis XIV effected on the Louvre during its time as a Parisian residence for the royal family is the interior changes that are indicated by the Apollo Gallery (Hanser 15). This gilded extravagantly designed, gold trimmed hall exhibits an intricate ceiling that itself rivals some of the more impressive cathedral dome paintings. What Louis XIV did with this particular gallery is he combined elements of the original medieval architecture that defined the hall with the baroque opulence and grandeur that defined nearly every project he oversaw.

The type of work that is reflected in the Apollo Gallery is also indicative of many of the later buildings and expansions Louis XIV would make at Versailles. Although many years separated the construction projects at the Louvre from that at Versailles, Louis XIV preferences and distinct tastes with respect to art and architecture varied little. As alluded to earlier, when Louis XIV moved his capital to Versailles, due to fear of political cabals against him in Paris, the building campaigns and renovations that occurred were in no way dissimilar or non-comparable to the ones that had been performed previously in Paris (Chaudonneret 488).

The following photographic evidence will work to prove a clear and decisive link between the two. This image represents the Pavillon de l’Horloge (or the Clock Pavilion as it is more commonly known). This Clock Pavilion was one of the first additions that Louis XIV made to the Louvre and can consequently be considered as a Western Gate of the palace. The Apollo Gallery is evidence of a few of the ways that Louis XIV changed the interior nature of the palace during the time it was in use as a Parisian residence.

This particular image shows the Apollo Gallery in greater detail so that it is possible to notice both the medieval influences that the elongated hall illustrates as well as the detail of the ceiling paintings that were earlier alluded to in the analysis. This image is taken from Louis XIV’s residence at Versailles. It is easy to notice the distinct similarity to this “Hall of Mirrors”