New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-24
VERSAILLES MUSEUM.
Efforts to Keep Up Famous PGIqcs
Which Louis Philippe PRESCRIBED.
Paris. March u

Paris. March T.
rs Versailles being allowed to fan to piec-sgs
IS question often asked by visitors before
making trip by train or automobile 70 this
historic spot. Your correspondent in the last
few days. made the rounds OF the palace. chapel,
gardens. parks and trianOns and inspected ths
terraces, apartments. galerie des glaces. marble
sVSirCases and halls transformed into museums
OF art or OF historic relics. The impression o.
tanned was that, while it would be sheer exas-
geration TO say that Versailles was going TO
ruin nevertheless the facades are in many IN
stances sadly neglected the fountains are
crumbling away. the two trianons are getting
mouldy. the cornices show signs OF decay. and.
above all. the beautiful Cour des Cerfs-the in-
terror court connected with the rooms or the
Kings apartments and overlooked BY no other
windows except from those Of the royal suite.
and so called because it was formerly decorated
with carved stays heads in plaster-is in a very
bad condition.
On the whole however. the palace, especially
it's interior, is kept up fairly well and betrays
signs OF falling to pieces" NJ. Pierre de
Nolhac, curator Of the Versailles Museum, is an
enthusiastic defender OF the art treasures OF
Versailles, and it IS largely owing to his Efforts
that the palace presents greater interest 60 vls-
itors to-day than has been the case since Il was
pillaged and abandoned in course Of the ReVOlu-
ton. It should be borne in mind that when
Louis Philippe came 10 the throne In 1880 tho
palace OF Versailles was almost empty and was
rapidly going to the dogs The Citizen King. IN
order TO win popularity. converted Versailles
into a museum dedicated 20 the ''goTies ana
memories of France"
He thus saved It from being divided up and
sold The gardens had already gone 20 ruin.
Louis Philippe expended between the years
1880 and 1887. the date OF its opening as ma
tional museum no less than 100000 out Os his
own personal funds toward its restoration
Louis Philippe lived at a time when the STYLE
OF the eighteenth century IN art In architecture
furniture and porcelain was desplsed- He FOL-
lowed the prevailing fashionable fad. and tho
reservations and decorations made IN his reign
in the palace are in exceedingly bad taste. bus
the good natured King managed TO gather to-
gether the furniture and pictures that had heeE
dispersed. and 1t was he who. after ALL saved
the palace from going to destruction Since ths
time OF Louis Philippe there has been speciz.
curator. and also an architect attached 70 ths
Versailles Museum. but the appropriation.
amounting. as it does to-day. TO $4,000 Is en-
tireIy inadequate to keep the palace IN proper
repair NJ. de NoIhac IN the last few months
has succeeded in obtaining twenty pieces o:
Gobelin tapestry ordered by Louis XIV to eou1-
memorate the military events OF his reign. from
the Garde Meuble Of the state. and thess superb
works OF art will soon be replaced IN the apart-
ments at Versailles. where they originally wera
hung.
NJ. Lambert the architect OF Versailles. has
strengthened the walls and repaired some OF tho
facades. but he is severely criticised for SPEND
ing TOO great share OF the appropriations upon
interior decorations Of questionable taste. In
stead of devoting his attention to absolutely
necessary architectural repairs. For instance.
v-h{r
Philippe had caused to be placed on the walls
Of the cabinet de travail OF the Dauphin was
moved and beautiful panels Of landscapes IN
Martin varnish. offering probably the only
known instance OF such mural decorative paint
ing in that precious medium. were brought 70
light
The Martin varnish landscapes were. how
ever. not in good condition. The architect. In
stead Of leaving them IN their original state.
has them restored with varnish in imitation
Of that OF Martin. and the effect was most
Disappointing After this experiment the mod
ern varnish was scraped away. but this was
done so clumsiIy that the delicate Martin land
scapes were completely obliterated- Other tn-
stances OF more than questionable taste are to
be found in the crude colors with which the
rooms OF the south wing are painted. Partisan
art critics protest unanimously against the pink
marble framework that has been devised
sort Of cadre for the GObelin tapestries. and
complain that the sums of money so expended
should have been employed IN making urssnt
repairs 20 walls and foundations. The palace
and grounds OF Versailles are nevertheless on
a solid basis. and II they continue to be cared
for as they have been for the past five years
itOrs the most complete page OF French history
from the time OF Louis XIV to the Revolution.
c. Z B