Versailles and the Sun King: The Age of Magnificence

Versailles and the Sun King: The Age of Magnificence PDF Author: Gerard Vuilly
Publisher: tredition
ISBN: 3384438078
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 333

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Book Description
Step into the dazzling world of Louis XIV, the Sun King, whose vision transformed France into a beacon of culture, power, and grandeur. At the heart of his reign stood the Palace of Versailles, a masterpiece of architecture and ambition that became the ultimate symbol of absolute monarchy. In this captivating exploration, Gerard Vuilly delves into the life and legacy of one of history's most influential rulers. From the meticulous construction of Versailles to the centralization of power that redefined governance, the book examines how Louis XIV's reign shaped France's cultural identity and left an indelible mark on European history. Discover the opulence of court life, the intricacies of political strategy, and the artistic innovations that flourished under the Sun King's patronage. Through vivid storytelling and meticulous research, Versailles and the Sun King unveils the era of magnificence that defined a nation and set a new standard for royalty worldwide. Perfect for history enthusiasts, lovers of architecture, and those fascinated by the intersection of culture and power, this book offers a vivid portrait of a king who turned his dreams into an enduring legacy.

Baroque, 1620-1800

Baroque, 1620-1800 PDF Author: Michael Snodin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Art, Baroque
Languages : en
Pages : 12

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Book Description


Boughton House

Boughton House PDF Author: Tessa Murdoch
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780571163380
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 240

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Book Description
Boughton House in Northamptonshire is a house of contrasts. Its magnificent, and at the same time, formal exterior in the French style gives little hint of the rambling Tudor manor house embedded within. Involvement with the law and politics at the highest level generated the wealth of its founders and builders, but enlightened artistic patronage and a strong aesthetic sense have been characteristic of many generations of the Dukes of Montagu and of Buccleuch since the 17th century. This book looks at the house and its furnishings.

Sculpture Collections in Europe and the United States 1500-1930

Sculpture Collections in Europe and the United States 1500-1930 PDF Author:
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004458840
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 358

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Book Description
Exploring the variety of forms taken by collections of sculpture, this volume presents new research by twelve internationally recognized scholars. The essays delve into the motivations of different collectors, the modes of display, and the aesthetics of viewing sculpture, bringing to light much new archival material. The book underscores the ambiguous nature of sculpture collections, variously understood as decorative components of interiors or gardens, as objects of desire in cabinets of curiosity, or as autonomous works of art in private and public collections. Emphasizing the collections and the ways in which these were viewed and described, this book addresses a significant but neglected aspect of art collecting and contributes to the literature on this branch of art and cultural history. This book evolved from a symposium "Sculpture Collecting and Display, 1600-2000," organized by the Center for the History of Collecting, that was held at The Frick Collection on May 19 and 20, 2017. Both the book and the symposium were made possible through the generous support of the Robert H. Smith Family Foundation. The book is published in association with The Frick Collection.

The Joy of Reading

The Joy of Reading PDF Author: Charles Van Doren
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
ISBN: 1402234376
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 546

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Book Description
"Charles Van Doren has laid a feast before all of us that is irresistible."—Mortimer J. Adler This engaging love letter to reading follows the great authors and classics that transformed the world: from Aristotle and Herodotus in ancient Greece to Salinger and Heinlein in 20th century America. Like a professor whose enthusiasm enwraps his students, Van Doren explains what's wonderful in the books you've missed and awakens your desire to reopen the books you already know. Divided chronologically by the periods in which these classics were written, each book is put in its historical context and brought to life by Van Doren's brilliant analysis. The Joy of Reading delves into a wide range of genres—fiction, poetry, drama, children's books, philosophy, history and science. This is the one book that brings together everything you need to know about the classics you missed and ignites your passion to read and reread the greatest books the world has ever known. This book is the fruit of a lifelong love affair. Reading, I believe, is my favorite thing to do; books and I have been inseparable almost as long as I can remember ... To this day, I become distressed if I am anywhere without a book, a magazine, a newspaper, any scrap of paper to read .... I like the smell of books, certainly the feel of them. Life without books would be, for me, a vacant horror."—Charles Van Doren "Nothing recommends the joy of reading better than the communication of it by a person who has spent a lifetime enriched by the delights of reading. Charles Van Doren is that kind of reader. He has laid a feast before us that is irresistible."—Mortimer J. Adler, author of How to Read a Book "Mr. Van Doren is that rarity, a truly well read man who reads not for professional purposes but for pleasure. His book spurs us on to explore more deeply and joyfully the infinitely varied terrain of good books."—Clifton Fadiman, author of The New Lifetime Reading Plan: The Classical Guide to World Literature

The Age of Comfort

The Age of Comfort PDF Author: Joan DeJean
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 160819230X
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 305

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Book Description
A historian evaluates the period that marked a convergence of informality and comfort, transforming the worlds of architecture and interior decoration, in an account that identifies colorful visionaries who were responsible for such modern objects as sofas, private bedrooms, and bathrooms.

Heroes of Modern Europe

Heroes of Modern Europe PDF Author: Alice Birkhead
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Europe
Languages : en
Pages : 284

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Book Description


King of the World

King of the World PDF Author: Philip Mansel
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022669092X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 669

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Book Description
Louis XIV was a man in pursuit of glory. Not content to be the ruler of a world power, he wanted the power to rule the world. And, for a time, he came tantalizingly close. Philip Mansel’s King of the World is the most comprehensive and up-to-date biography in English of this hypnotic, flawed figure who continues to captivate our attention. This lively work takes Louis outside Versailles and shows the true extent of his global ambitions, with stops in London, Madrid, Constantinople, Bangkok, and beyond. We witness the importance of his alliance with the Spanish crown and his success in securing Spain for his descendants, his enmity with England, and his relations with the rest of Europe, as well as Asia, Africa, and the Americas. We also see the king’s effect on the two great global diasporas of Huguenots and Jacobites, and their influence on him as he failed in his brutal attempts to stop Protestants from leaving France. Along the way, we are enveloped in the splendor of Louis’s court and the fascinating cast of characters who prostrated and plotted within it. King of the World is exceptionally researched, drawing on international archives and incorporating sources who knew the king intimately, including the newly released correspondence of Louis’s second wife, Madame de Maintenon. Mansel’s narrative flair is a perfect match for this grand figure, and he brings the Sun King’s world to vivid life. This is a global biography of a global king, whose power was extensive but also limited by laws and circumstances, and whose interests and ambitions stretched far beyond his homeland. Through it all, we watch Louis XIV progressively turn from a dazzling, attractive young king to a belligerent reactionary who sets France on the path to 1789. It is a convincing and compelling portrait of a man who, three hundred years after his death, still epitomizes the idea of le grand monarque.

The Shaping of Grand Strategy

The Shaping of Grand Strategy PDF Author: Williamson Murray
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139496468
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 295

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Book Description
Within a variety of historical contexts, The Shaping of Grand Strategy addresses the most important tasks states have confronted: namely, how to protect their citizens against the short-range as well as long-range dangers their polities confront in the present and may confront in the future. To be successful, grand strategy demands that governments and leaders chart a course that involves more than simply reacting to immediate events. Above all, it demands they adapt to sudden and major changes in the international environment, which more often than not involves the outbreak of great conflicts but at times demands recognition of major economic, political, or diplomatic changes. This collection of essays explores the successes as well as failures of great states attempting to create grand strategies that work and aims at achieving an understanding of some of the extraordinary difficulties involved in casting, evolving and adapting grand strategy to the realities of the world.

Magnificence in the Seventeenth Century

Magnificence in the Seventeenth Century PDF Author: Gijs Versteegen
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004436804
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 398

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Book Description
This volume explores the concept of magnificence as a social construction in seventeenth-century Europe. Although this period is often described as the ‘Age of Magnificence’, thus far no attempts have been made to investigate how the term and the concept of magnificence functioned. The authors focus on the way crucial ethical, religious, political, aesthetic, and cultural developments interacted with thought on magnificence in Catholic and Protestant contexts, analysing spectacular civic and courtly festivities and theatre, impressive displays of painting and sculpture in rich architectural settings, splendid gardens, exclusive etiquette, grand households, and learned treatises of moral philosophy. Contributors: Lindsay Alberts, Stijn Bussels, Jorge Fernández-Santos, Anne-Madeleine Goulet, Elizabeth den Hartog, Michèle-Caroline Heck, Miguel Hermoso Cuesta, José Eloy Hortal Muñoz, Félix Labrador Arroyo, Victoire Malenfer, Alessandro Metlica, Alessandra Mignatti, Anne-Françoise Morel, Matthias Roick, Kathrin Stocker, Klaas Tindemans, and Gijs Versteegen.