Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-03
A DAY AT VERSAILLES
M de Nohac Restorer Louis XVs Great Palace Still LIVES
in the Past, Even in Time of War
BY HENRI BAZIN
sp,c,ol Correspondent Of the Evenino Ledger

4 the ruins of antiquity and the monuments
| Of the Renaissance, not with the eye OF tn.
tourist, but to- discover. II possible. the seoI..
| Of Italy's eternal prestige by what .aosS
,, she had succeeded 500 years ago III ii'ipoa
| ing upon the world a discipline OF tas'e a.
| thought 30 strong and wise that even 'ouas .,
| II Is the normal base upon whicn res's
European civilization. So. In the beginn,,s
I Of his research writing, he chose Petrarcn,
| ''the first Of moderns." finding there a,, anu
recording all the Latinism Of the fourteen.n
| century and how huma anitarianism saved ,ne
! heritage Of antique wisdom to the woriu'
Then he studied and wrote upon Erasmus,
and Aldus Manutius, and the poets OF tne
French Renaissance. To Versailles, M ue
Nolhac went many years ago. nndine mn
self surrounded there with the best art
of the best artistic period Of France. Here
he studied and wrote also, and as con-
| servator set about restoring order. Sc
quence and taste in the veritable Capnar'
naum misguidedly created by King Louis
Philippe. He removed from obscure, ill-nt
places the painted art Of the Renaissance
of France and placed 1t In order. from the
Regence to Louis XVI, upon the walls OF
the royal suites.
He unearthed from a garnet the most
famous Natter In the world. the most beau
tful Of portraits Of the time Of Louis XIV,
that Of Marie Leczinska. his queen and con-
sort. that under Louis Philippe had been
francs NJ de Nolhac not only found the
signature of the painter but the date OF
the painting. 174s, upon the edge OF the
table where rests the royal hand. And In
the archives NJ. de Nolhac found the paint
er's record of the commission. with the
price received for the painting. With this
picture and the gallery Of others which
were reclassifed authentically NJ de Nolhac
made Nattier relive again and. incidentally
enriched many a dealer. This was but an
incident of his work. for he made clear and
Ineligible what the ancient stones Of Ver-
sailles meant to France. what Versailles is,
its glory in the true sense; for from 1890
disdain had existed for the art OF the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. and
nothing In the sense Of sympathy for that
born Of the Renaissance Of Italy.
NJ de Nolhacs work at Versailles, then,
is naught else but an addition to our edu-
cation, his books reciting with clarity and
rare vision not only it's beauties, but the
things that made these beauties possible.
and without in any sense deerying the
homage due other art, the Parthenon. st.
Sophia, the Gothic cathedrals. These are all
superior to Versailles as monuments, since
they honor and reveal divinity. But the
palace Of Louis XIV Is none the less admir-
able because 1t reveals the puissance of
political regime in as great a beauty as
church; equally as great, despite differ
ence.
lJiNlHs at versailles, anu Dut NcI-
salles, NJ. de Nolhac, historian. poet and
student that he is. could not but be deeply
impressed It is as II he had met phantoms
in the woods, by the waters, In the cor
ridors Of the palace. had made friends
with them. received their condolences and
told their story. For how else could have
been born his magnificent books upon the
eighteenth century and Of the three queens,
II one uncrowned-Marie Leczinska, gentle,
devout and good, yet who experienced the
extremes Of destiny; Madame de Pompa-
dour, who by no means merited all the out
RACES posterity has saddled upon her name.
since she was true protectress of the arts,
and Marie Antoinette the Inflated?
As we walked through the regal rooms,
now hung with masterpieces, the rooms
where Marie Therese. Marie Leczinska and
Marie Antoinette lived. waking and Sleep
ing hours, NJ. de Nolhac said:
Here is the work most cherish of all
the work that has come to me. Long after
l am forgotten and my books are forgot
ten the restoration and classification within
this ancient palace of kings will live on,
constantly portraying the glory of a dead
France to the glorious new France all about
us Versailles is one of the symbols fought
for at Verdun. one Of the things our country
rests upon. And we will be ready to omen
Its doors the day after peace is declared.
We have but to unbar them"