A queen with a reputation for scandal, Marie Antoinette enjoyed her private spaces with a small circle of friends. A mirrored room kept the judgments of the outside world at bay.
When women are remembered as part of the Communist or any other political tradition it’s often as an afterthought, or as part of the support system of the revolution.
TV shows such as Versailles and Reign dwell on sex. But the French royals were preoccupied with life’s intimate moments, from bodily emissions to the crowds that gathered to watch the queen give birth.
Yellow-gold, swagged curtains have appeared in the Oval Office. But if Donald Trump wants to emulate the Sun King, he would be advised to look to contemporary artists and designers for inspiration.
Donald Trump has a Versailles-inspired apartment. There’s a popular TV series and now, a new exhibition of treasures from the palace. A glittering symbol of aristocratic frivolity, Versailles was, in fact, a place of awesome royal power.