10 3 Science and Curiosities versailles, PLACE OF plan 2-1 2-2 SCIENTIFIC APPLICATIONS at the Court of Versailles room 1 rOOM 5 Outline of the exhibition by Béatrix Saule THE FOUNDATION OF THE rOYAL TUTELAGE IN PrACTICE Th e unprecedented vastness of the Th e places of science Versailles, where 7 in Versailles science and techniques THE rOYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Versailles construction project raised new 7 THE CHÂTEAU DE VErSAILLES In Versailles, the ministers in charge rOOMs 2-1 & 2-2 were taught problems. Apart from the traditional Science and power rOOMs 6-1 & 6-2 DEVOTES AN EXHIBITION TO 1 1 2 At this time, everywhere in Europe, of supervising the sciences appointed 11 kinds of know-how, it required 15 16 Th e system functioned by gravitation, rOOM 3 Versailles, place of royal scientists were grouped around rich members of the Academy, encouraged the input of new scientifi c knowledge practical science THE PLACE OF THE SCIENCES THE PLACES OF SCIENCE patrons who supported them. “investigations” (research) around so not only was a lot of water needed but Versailles, place and techniques. More so than of scientifi c applications rOOM 7 it had to come from higher ground. IN VErSAILLES Jean-Baptiste Colbert decided to attach the kingdom, subsidised expeditions for the buildings, these new needs and techniques Versailles, IN THE rOYAL COUrT. An elaborate system of pumps, aqueducts 2-1 & 2-2 them to the King with the aim of getting to remote areas, and made grants concerned the gardens. Inspired by his astronomy telescopes, THE PIPED WATEr SUPPLY rOOMs 4-1 & 4-2 place of scientifi c and reservoirs was then constructed. demonstrations Genuine science or As an introduction to the exhibition, the sciences to serve the good of the to scientists. They favoured the branches the theodolite telescope invented by AND HYDrAULICS Versailles, fi eld Th e gigantic machine of Marly drew under a reproduction of Coronelli’s SCIENCE AND POWEr state. In 1666, he gathered twelve scientists It was not until 1699 that the throne of sciences likely to help meet the Th e same period saw the founding of Picard was capable of measuring angles of experimentation curiosities? To give Louis XIV the pleasure of the water of the Seine thanks to 14 celestial globe, symbol of science in around the Dutchman Huygens, granted the Academy the offi cial title objectives of the royal power: astronomy the Academy of Surgery, the Veterinary and levels. Th anks to this, he proved SUrVEYING AND LEVELLING fountains, 35,292 large barrels of water paddle wheels. Th e aqueduct designed the service of the royal power because Versailles was the offi cial seat of the who were soon joined by other celebrities of Royal Academy as well as its for navigation, geometry and chemistry schools of Lyon and Alfort, the the impossibility of tapping the water (around 9,500 m3) were required for by Vauban and advised by the it presents the state of the night sky at absolute monarchy for over a century, such as the Bolognese scientist regulations which set up its 6 sections: for the artillery, geodesics and Agriculture Society and the Royal Society Th e land that surrounded the Château of the Loire, a solution that Riquet, 2½ hours of entertainment. Between 1670 Academicians, turned out to be too the moment of the birth of Louis XIV, from 1682 to 1789, and the palace Jean-Dominique Cassini who was to geometry, astronomy, mechanics, cartography for the cadastral and fiscal of Medicine. Many scientists, including was not naturally conducive to the king’s the engineer of the Canal du Midi, and 1685, the time it took to lay down ambitious, as it was supposed to stretch a full HD 360° video shows that supervised and promoted the sciences direct the Observatory set up the following anatomy, botany and chemistry. administrations, medicine and the most prominent, worked in projects: it was not structured and could had convinced Colbert was right. 6-2 6-1 Under the direction of Béatrix Saule, the great network in Versailles, to 70 km from Versailles, and was never the Château, its outbuildings, gardens in France notably through the year. Th e large painting by Testelin At the beginning of the year, the Academy pharmacology for public health, botany the court as health offi cers or tutors provide no usable water for the Apart from saving the Royal Treasury General Manager of the Public the hydraulic problems mobilised completed. Science and techniques and parks, and its surroundings, Academy of Sciences. Th is period, celebrates the foundation of the Academy went to Versailles to present its and agronomy to prevent famines, to the princes. Th is presence of learned fountains. Before any work could begin, greater expense, Picard advocated Establishment of the Museum and National scientists and engineers. Hitherto were also drawn on in the most varied hosted all forms of scientifi c activity: which covers the end of the classical and the Observatory by a visit made publications. Th is ritual demonstrated physics for its technical applications, etc. experts attracted others. Quesnay, the land around the palace had to be practical and lasting solutions both ENTrANCE Estate of Versailles, and Catherine empirical practices gave way to scientific forms to ensure the embellishment 1 5 application, experimentation, teaching, age and the Enlightenment period, by the King to the Academy. that the Royal Academy of Sciences To accompany the promotion of the doctor of Madame de Pompadour, mapped out in a surveying and levelling for the ‘decorative’ water and the drinking ones: Perrault, Mariotte, La Hire, and comfort of the royal residence. Arminjon, honorary General Heritage practical work and demonstration. saw considerable progress thanks to Th e King is surrounded by his brother, offered the king tangible proof the useful arts and techniques, the first received Diderot and d’Alembert in operation. Finding the water required water. In parallel to the work of the Gobert, Picard and Römer carried out In return, they were glorifi ed by being Curator. Each aspect is covered in a section the crown’s proactive scientifi c policy. Monsieur, and lords of his entourage. of the research work that he subsidised. engineering schools were founded: his apartment in the Château. Th e royal going so far for it that new instruments Academicians, Le Nôtre and his teams the first calculations of flow rates, invoked in the decoration of the Grand of the exhibition. However, Versailles Colbert, in the centre of the composition Th e links between Paris and Versailles Ponts et Chaussées (Civil Engineering), power did indeed ban the Encyclopedia, and calculations taking the roundness did the same inside the estate, 4-1 4-2 and studies of the friction and Apartments in which each including was above all the place of power. and acting as intermediary, presents were clearly defi ned now, and Génie maritime (Naval Engineering), but that was because of the philosophical of the earth’s surface into account but with instruments and knowledge resistance of materials for the piping the King’s inner apartment (wardrobe 2-1 the Academicians to him. However, this the Academy became the instrument the Engineering school in Mezières positions that it adopted, not for had to be found. Th ese were developed in geometry and optics that were mostly systems. A technological development, of Louis XVI). is an imaginary representation because of offi cial science. for fortifications, and the School of Mines. the compilation of knowledge and and then improved through practice derived from the end of the 16th century, the use of cast iron for the piping made it was painted before the King’s sole visit techniques that it had never ceased by a team of Academicians under though henceforth refi ned and up of standardised units fitting together 3 5 to the Academy on 5 December 1681. 12. Presumed portrait to encourage since Colbert. an astronomer, the Abbé Jean Picard. theorised. of Antoine-Laurent without soldering, replaced earthenware, 2-2 10. Jean Le Rond de Lavoisier, wooden or lead pipes. The adjutages, d’Alembert (1717-1783), (1743-1794), chemist, which gave the water jets their shape, mathematician, director François-Louis Brossard of the “Encyclopédie” de Beaulieu, 1784 15. Graphometer 17. Compass, were improved by the Francini family 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 14. until 1757, 13. Anne-Robert-Jacques with sight, Wardrobe Study and, thanks to the advice of Huygens, Colbert Presents to by Maurice Quentin Turgot, (1727-1781), Michael Butterfi eld, of Louis XVI, 1788 the consumption of water was reduced. 3 Louis XIV the Members de La Tour, 1773 Controller General before 1700 18. Saturn’s Chariot, of the Academy 11. Louis XIV, of Finance (1774-1776) 16. View of the Marly sketch for the painting of Sciences, founded Protector of the Arts Antoine Graincourt, Machine, on the ceiling 4 6 in 1666, (details), 8 9 and Sciences, by François Hubert 12 13 Pierre Denis Martin, of the Saturn Salon, 17 18 Henri Testelin Jean Garnier, 1672 Drouais, 1782 1722 Noël Coypel, 1672 14 4-1 & 4-2 20 23 27 Versailles, FIELD the largest botanical collection in Europe Th en mathematics moved on from ÉTABLISSEMENT PUBLIC DU MUSÉE ET DU DOMAINE OF EXPErIMENTATION 19 with over 4,000 varieties. Trianon castrametation (the art of choosing NATIONAL DE VErSAILLES became a genuine research centre in 22 and laying out the site of a camp or 6-1 6-2 7 RP 834 78 008 Versailles cedex, France Versailles off ered resources species, notably Dutch cows, botany. For over 30 years, plants arrived fortifi cation), and naval matters became praCTICAL SCIENTIFIC WOrK praCTICAL SCIENTIFIC WOrK Information and reservation: +33 01 30 83 78 00 for research in the palace and its and the improvement of native stocks.