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The Palace of Versailles Continues to Inspire
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The Palace of Versailles is a landmark of fashion and art history, and a testament to the French art de vivre. This former royal residence has long-inspired artists and designers with its opulent, gilded decor set against sprawling, manicured gardens. Since the palace was built in 1634, it has had a strong connection to the arts. Today, its museum holds more than 60,000 artworks across three centuries. Each year a distinguished contemporary artist exhibits at the historic site and new artworks are added to the permanent collection.
Sharing in the palace’s appreciation of art, Château Mouton Rothschild—a major wine estate near Bordeaux—has launched its latest series of artist-designed wine labels. An annual tradition since 1945, the labels are unique to specific vintages and have included a range of modern and contemporary masters: Picasso, Chagall, Dali, Miró, Bacon, and Warhol. This year’s Versailles Celebration series is a special initiative to benefit the restoration of Versailles. Including labels by five major artists, these limited-edition wine cases will be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York, London, and Hong Kong in April and May 2019.
The artists—Bernar Venet, Jeff Koons, Anish Kapoor, Lee Ufan, and Giuseppe Penone—have all previously exhibited at the palace, personally connecting them to the project. “For the past ten years, the greatest contemporary artists have engaged in a dialogue with the illustrious builders of Versailles,” Versailles president Catherine Pégard explains to CR. “This presentation case, reminiscent of puzzle boxes holding the most precious or fabulous secrets, bears witness to this shared history.”
Italian sculptor and painter Penone created the Mouton Rothschild 2005 label, showing the print of a vine grower’s fingers touching leaves, physically symbolizing their connection. Venet, a French graphic artist and sculptor, conceived the 2007 label with open steel lines to suggest chalices and earthy vine stalks. British sculptor, painter, and visual artist Kapoor imagined the 2009 label with an elaborate pattern to express the vitality of plant life. American visual artist and painter Koons envisioned the 2010 label, offering a new take on a famed Pompeii fresco with added abstraction and wine vessel details. Korean painter, visual artist, and philosopher Ufan designed the 2013 label with pigment that builds upon itself as a fine wine develops to its full potential.
Much like great art, fashion is deeply intertwined with the history of Versailles. Since the world’s first dress codes were established under Louis XIV, clothing and style have been underpinnings of the palace. When French court designs morphed from ornate Baroque to more playful Rococo, these new looks spread from France across Europe’s fashion capitals. For continental trends—from Madame de Montespan’s innocente robe, Marie-Antoinette’s extravagant pastel wigs, and the 1950s neo-trianon trend—Versailles was the go-to inspiration for designers.
Contemporary stylists have looked to the museum itself as well as its fashion history. Christian Dior was long-enamored with the palace’s architecture, interiors, and gardens. To celebrate the House of Dior’s 60th anniversary and John Galliano’s 10th year as creative director, the designer presented grand, romantic looks for his Fall/Winter 2007 collection at the Versailles Orangerie. The show was inspired by Impressionist and Modern painters, fashion illustrators, and photographers. Karl Lagerfeld’s 2013 Cruise collection for Chanel, also held at Versailles, unveiled crinoline dresses, and brocade jackets on the runway of the château’s gardens. In an artistic turn, Lagerfeld himself exhibited a collection of black-and-white photographs at the palace in the summer of 2008 titled “Versailles in the Shadow of the Sun.”
In 2017, Dior designer Victoire de Castellane created the Dior à Versailles high jewelry collection in tribute to unique details of the palace: crystal chandelier drops, ornamental curtain ties, and decorative bows adorning furniture. While Nicolas Ghesquière recalled the French court’s embellished frock coats and chiffon gowns in his Spring/Summer 2018 collection for Louis Vuitton. The palace remains timeless and significant in both fashion and the arts. An enduring source of inspiration, Versailles continues to reveal itself in the styles, artistry, and reverence of the present moment.
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createdAt:Wed, 20 Mar 2019 14:48:41 +0000
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