Plattegrond van het Grote Trianon met tuinen, ca. 1702 1702 - 1703

This is an anonymous print from around 1702, a schematic “Plattegrond van het Grote Trianon met tuinen,” or floor plan of the Grand Trianon palace and gardens. Commissioned by Louis XIV, the Sun King, the palace was intended as a private retreat from the rigid formality of Versailles. Yet, even in retreat, the King’s desire for control is visible. The gardens are meticulously planned, nature itself forced into geometric submission. Consider the identity of the artist: anonymous, likely a craftsman employed to realize the King's vision. What power did they have in shaping this representation? The print serves as both record and celebration of power, with the King's will made manifest in stone and carefully sculpted nature. Reflect on the emotional distance of this rendering – a bird's eye view that reduces human experience to a set of calculated relationships. Even in intimacy, the weight of power and class is palpable. The print offers a glimpse into a world of absolute authority and constructed identity, reminding us of the human cost of such artifice.