MADAME DE POMPADOUR

Madame de Pompadour

Madame de Pompadour was the first official King’s mistress to come from the bourgeois business class, which did not go down well with the aristocracy.  Today her significant influence on architecture and interior design is recognised, with courses such as at the Ecole du Louvre paying tribute to the contribution she made toward “French style”.

Versailles
Initially Madame de Pompadour had an “easy access” apartment above the King’s private apartment, with an alcove bed and typical dressing table from the period.

Madame de Pompadour’s boudoir was at the opposite end of the apartment, leading to her wardrobe and bathroom.

The writing desk currently displayed in the boudoir came from Madame de Pompadour’s apartment at the Chateau of La Muette and the gilded wooden console came from her Chateau of Bellevue.
Above the wardrobe is the tiny bedchamber generally referred to as Madame de Hausset’s apartment. She was Madame de Pompadour’s chief ladies maid. The small bedroom was probably used by the second ladies’ maid when she was on duty.

Madame de Pompadour was a remarkable woman and when the affair with Louis XV ended (because of her gynaecological problems), she managed to retain her close association with the King.  He valued her opinion and many regarded her as a de-facto Prime Minister.

She secured a much grander apartment on the ground floor at Versailles.  It was in this apartment she died at the age of 45.

Madame de Pompadour’s apartment was later occupied by Louis XV’s daughter Adelaide and is part of what is now known to visitors at Versailles as the apartment of the daughters of Louis XV or “Mesdames apartments”.

The Parisian residence Louis XV bought for Madame de Pompadour — now the Elysée Palace — has been the official residence of the French President since the 19th century.

Louis XV didn’t stop there.

Louis XV built the Petit Trianon for Madame de Pompadour.

Louis XV started construction on the Petit Trianon in 1762. He built it for Madame de Pompadour, who had been ceased being his mistress more than ten years earlier. As we have seen, she maintained a
strong friendship with the king, becoming even more influential after the affair finished.

She had the idea to build the  maller neo-classical chateau in the grounds of the Grand Trianon, overlooking the King’s beloved botanical garden. It was designed as a private get-away to enjoy for

the day, rather than a residence. The décor was simple, without all the gilding normally associated with royal residence. The motifs were all about gardens.

478px-Charles_André_Van_Loo_-_Madame_de_Pompadour_en_belle_jardinière_-_v.1754-1755
This informal painting of Madame de Pompadour, in the spirit of the Petit Trianon can be seen there.
749px-Louis_XV_by_Maurice-Quentin_de_La_Tour (1)
LOUIS XV Aged 63

Louis XV was very involved with the project and regularly visited the construction site.

By the time it was completed in 1768 Madame de Pompadour had died.

Louis XV had taken recently up with a new mistress, Madame du Barry. It was she who would accompany the King to the Petit
Trianon.

Madame du Barry