VERSAILLES – LE CHAR D’APOLLON, LE TAPIS VERT ET LE CHÂTEAU

Another view of the Palace of Versailles in the background but this time from an even lower position chosen by Septimus and Clara Miller in 1907. It is the counter view of my last card on CW: "PARC DE VERSAILLES – LE BASSIN DE LATONE ET LE TAPIS VERT".

This photo is taken from a low position 335 metres away from the Bassin de Latone. In between is the 'Tapis Vert' - the 'Allée royale' - a stretch of lawn 40 metres wide that was initially planted during the reign of Louis XIII. André Le Notre enlarged the 'parterre de pelouse' and decorated it with 12 statues and 12 vases that were taken from the Académie de France in Rome.

In the foreground is another fabulous fountain called the 'bassin du char d’Apollon' or 'basin d’Apollon'. A pond was dug on the site of the fountain in 1639 called " des Cygnes" - "The Pond of the Swans".

In 1671 it was enlarged.

André Le Notre had been commissioned by Louis XIV to elaborate on the theme of the "Roi Soleil" in the gardens of Versailles.

In this case he placed a statue of the 'Char du Soleil' - the Sun Chariot emerging from a pool created by the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Tuby in 1668-1671. Apollo and his chariot emerge from the water drawn by four horses with 'Amour' and in the pool around them are Tritons - Mermen and 'Baleines' - whales.

A fine representation of the power of the Sun King and his dominance over nature.

This is a postcard published by L.L. Phot No. 323: Levy Sons & Co. (1895-1919). Paris, France and London, England.