Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-20


; dazzling whiteness of the marble
columns which is relieved by the
exquisite colorings of other marbles
J used in the interior.
The Famous Vaulted Roof
A vaulted roof, that is the wonder
of architectural art, is the work OF
Mansart. Although less than thirty
years old, and a child of the very
dregs of the people. he managed to
bring his unfinished sketches to the
vain old king and decoyed him into
thinking that 1t was only the royal
suggestion that could perfect them.
So cleverly did he flatter the old
kings vanity by seeming to depend
on his judgment that Mansart had
access to the royal presence at any
hour of the day. The vaulted roof
Is a work of perfection due to the
fact that this artist had a free hand
and royal favor to carry out every
detail OF his plan. LeBrun, the CHIEF
painter of the court, was called in
to decorate the ceiling which is the
largest painted surface in France
and unsurpassed in space by any in
Italy. The large double painting IN
the center contrasts Frame with the
POWGE llldl AiSA 50 49,
ginning of the reign of Louis XIV.
All were monarchies and nowhere in
the canvas was the merest sugges-
tion that the masses of the people
were to be considered. Land and
naval armaments were praised by
the brush until it is said that the
whole series, which represents the
coalitions against the king and the
king overcoming them by victories,
was the direct cause of war with his
neighbors. In every picture LeBrun
represents the king as Roman god,
clad in royal purple and always to be
recognized by his brown peruke.
Among the French triumphs de-
picted is the passage of the Rhine,
which has q special significance at
this time. Above the archway to the
Salon de Ia Guerre is painted al
lance of Germany, Spain and Hol-
land. In the light of present day
| affairs it might be replaced by
symbol of Germany who has made
war upon all civilization. The pic
ture over the entrance to the Salon
de q Paix is of Holland vanquished
and separating from her allies.
Toward the close of his reign
Louis XIV moved his throne into the
Galerie de Glace just before receiv-
ing the Persian envoy. Mehenet
RIA Big. The ladies of the court
were all there, wearing a dazzling
amount of diamonds to impress the
Turkish ambassador, who was to re-
port on the advisability of lending
Louis XIV money.
Mirrors Prophecy to Marie Antoinettc
In this same brilliant gallery, a
LA AhA lNF "a nj a
Antoinette stood beside her royal
father-in-law,. Louis XIV, and looked
for the first time into the lighted
garden below on a gathering of men
and women whose lives, like her
own, were to be caught in the whirl-
pool of the Revolution. She and the
old king stood in the shelter of an
iron grating, unseen by the crowd,
while the eager eyes of the young
girl beheld for the first time her
future enemy, Nine. Du Barry,
blonde beauy, who that night was
clothed in silver tissue and rose col
ored satin. Her future friend, brill
liant brunette by the name of Julia
de Polignac, also was pointed out to
the future queen.
Not less interesting is the story OF
the dauphine seeing herself headless'
in the great mirrors as she passed
out to the garden, and returning
saw the same sight, foreshadowlng
of her unhappy fate.
In the gala days of the Bourbons
this brilliantly lighted hall presented
one of the gayest scenes or all Eu-
rope. Originally the floors were
covered with light colored Savoin-
nerie carpets, the windows hung
with damask curtains. decorated
only with the monogram of the king.
Mauve, pilasters, surmounted by
capitals of gilded metals, show the
sun. the shield and the crown of
France in exquisite workmanship,
and designs that have made the
name of the Bourbons famous in
the world of cabinet makers and in
terror decorators long after they
ceased to be regarded highly in the
affairs of state. The furniture of that
period was of chased silver and
enamel; tables, cressets and giran-
doles were as elaborate as the gal
lery. Fragrant, living orange trees
bloomed in silver tubs to give an air
of reality to the whole scene, and
these same tubs were melted in the
mint 20 furnished money for the
wars.
Danced There rs Bastille Fell
It was in this brilliant orangerie,
according to Carlyle, that high
rouged DANES danced with double
iacketed hussars" while mob razed
the Bastille.
Of the petitions sent to the king
at this time Carlyle writes, THE
| Versailles ball and the lemonade are
done; the orangerie is silent except
for O few night birds. over in the
Sale des Menus, Vice-President
Lafayette with unsnuffed lights, with
some hundred or so of members
stretched on tables around him, sits
erect outwatching the bear. This
day n solemn deputation went to his
majesty, a second, and then third
with no effect. What will the end
of these things be?" And the end
was very much in effect as the end
of autocratic William is experience
! ing and may let taste the full meas
sure of his defeat in a tribunal OF
the Allied governments.
These historic mirrors reflected
the beautiful face of the Empress
Josephine in the days when she lived
Mt the palace shortly before Ma
poleon divorced her, and here he
brought the Empress Marie-Louise
and presented her to his people at
an elaborate reception that filled the
Galerie de Glace with a throng of
gafly dressed people as ever assem-
bled in the courts of kings.
A Hospital For Prussians
The variety of uses that this gal