In this sumptuous book, Stéphane Pincas takes us on a unique guided tour of the gardens of Versailles, vividly recreating their entire history in time and space. Following the route famously taken by Louis XIV himself, the book explores the upper garden, the great central axis, and the lower garden, discovering every fountain, parterre, and “open-air room” of the bosquets. The volume is an estimable historical overview, reproducing original designs and structures through period plans and paintings, while showcasing Maryvonne Rocher-Gilotte’s marvelous photography. It stands as one of the most detailed pictorial accounts of one of the greatest total works of art in history, documenting features that remain or once held their place in the Sun King’s vision.
