French Architectural Ornament: From Versailles, Fontainebleau and Other Palaces

By Dover Publications

From France's proudest architectural heirlooms comes this collection of ornaments—an extraordinary assortment of the sumptuous decorations that run from floor to ceiling and span the grand facades of royal residences. Their origins range from the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries, dating from the rule of France's first Renaissance king, Francis I, to the opulent era of Louis XIV, the legendary Sun King.
Illustrated with 61 color and 100 black-and-white drawings, this compilation features highlights from two rare nineteenth-century publications, one of which was edited by a distinguished architectural historian of the Louvre. A visual tour through throne rooms, private apartments, chapels, libraries, and ballrooms, it encompasses depictions of scenes from history and mythology as well as a rich assortment of botanical and other decorative elements from doors, walls, fireplaces, cabinets, consoles, and friezes. Brief captions identify each image.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Release date: Mar 5, 2013
• ISBN: 9780486141275

Book preview

DOVER BOOKS ON ARCHITECTURE

ALADDIN BUILT IN A DAY HOUSE CATALOG, 1917, The Aladdin Co. (0-486-28591-X)

CONCRETE COUNTRY RESIDENCES: Photographs and Floor Plans of Turn-of-the-Century Homes, Atlas Portland Cement Company (0-486-42733-1)

BADGER’S ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF CAST-IRON ARCHITECTURE, Daniel D. Badger. (0-486-24223-4)

BENNETT’S SMALL HOUSE CATALOG, 1920, Ray H. Bennett Lumber Co., Inc. (0-486-27809-3)

BICKNELL’S VICTORIAN BUILDINGS, A. J. Bicknell. (0-486-23904-7)

THE GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA: History and Speculation, James Bonwick. (0-486-42521-5)

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECTURE, Somers Clarke and R. Engelbach. (0-486-26485-8)

TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY HOUSE DESIGNS, William T. Comstock. (0-486-28186-8)

THE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL, Clarence Cook. (0-486-28586-3)

GREAT BUILDINGS OF BOSTON, George M. Cushing, Jr. (0-486-24219-6)

THE ARCHITECTURAL PLATES FROM THE ENCYCLOPEDIE, Denis Diderot. (0-486-27954-5)

THE ARCHITECTURE OF COUNTRY HOUSES, Andrew J. Downing. (0-486-22003-6)

VICTORIAN COTTAGE RESIDENCES, Andrew J. Downing. (0-486-24078-9)

PRINCIPLES OF VICTORIAN