Louis XIV saw himself as a patron of the arts, as well as an absolute monarch and warlord. He talked to his favourite artists and writers, including Bernini, Racine, Andre Lenotre the gardener and Charles Lebrun the painter, almost as equals, and made Versailles an arts and entertainment centre rivalling Rome. Versailles’s influence, like the French language, spread across Europe. In his range and passion, Louis XIV was unsurpassed as a patron of the arts, both in his time and later.

A lecture by Dr Philip Mansel recorded on 25 January 2023 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/versailles-arts

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Louis XIV: Versailles, Europe and the Arts

Gresham College Lectures

Louis XIV: Versailles, Europe and the Arts