12PM
Imprimatur by Rita Monaldi and Francesco Sorti (Bulgarian cover)
12PM
The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. It was built from 1658 to 1661 for Nicolas Fouquet, the Superintendent of Finances under Louis XIV. When Fouquet became Louis XIV’s superintendent of finances in 1657, he commissioned Le Vau, Le Brun and Le Nôtre to renovate his estate to match his ambition.
Louis was suspicious of Fouquet’s ambition, and his extravagant expenditure and personal display intensified the king’s ill-will. Louis was entertained by Fouquet at Vaux-le-Vicomte, with a fête on 17 August 1661. Fouquet’s intention was to flatter the king (part of the château was actually constructed specifically for him), but his château was too luxurious and the fête was too magnificent. Jean-Baptiste Colbert, who later replaced Fouquet as superintendent of finances, led the king to believe that Fouquet funded all this through embezzling the crown, and Fouquet was arrested and imprisoned for life.
Vaux-le-Vicomte was seized, and the king confiscated 120 tapestries, the statues and all the orange trees. Louis then employed the team who designed Vaux-le-Vicomte (Le Vau Le Brun and Le Nôtre) to design the palace and gardens of Versailles.
(via thestuartkings)
Page 1 of 1
