Lecture: “Marble from Occitania in the Decorations of Versailles”

Botanical Institute, Lecture Hall – 163 Auguste Broussonnet Street, Montpellier.

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The next event in the 2019 series “Thursday Lectures” will be led by Suzanne Raynaud, associate professor at the University of Montpellier and researcher at the Geosciences Laboratory (CNRS – University of Montpellier).

Marble is a noble material that has been used since ancient times to build and decorate palaces and monuments. At Versailles, drawing inspiration from antiquity and mythology, Louis XIV used it extensively. He commissioned Colbert to survey the kingdom and the Mediterranean basin and identify the region’s marble deposits and quarries.

Quarries in the South and the Pyrenees are identified and selected for the production of marble with exceptional color, veining, and quality.

The 352 fireplaces in the residence of the kings are all made of marble from Occitanie. The same is true of the furniture in the château, particularly the marble inlays on the dressers.

Suzanne Raynaud is the co-author, along with René Fabre, of the book *Versailles and the Marbles of Occitania* – published by Editions du Pounjadou.

This book reveals the incredible richness and harmony of the marble compositions created for Louis XIV, as well as the origins of the stone’s colors and patterns.

“Thursday Lectures”

With its eight faculties, two schools, six institutes, and 78 research centers, the University of Montpellier is home to a wealth of faculty members andProfessors a wide range of academic disciplines.
The university sought to highlight their work and make it accessible to as many people as possible by organizing a series of lectures.

Upcoming events:

• Thursday, April 18: Nanosatellites at the University of Montpellier.
• Thursday, May 23: A Rediscovered Treasure: The University of Rennes’ Collection of Scientific Instruments (1840–1900).
• Thursday, June 27: Medical Imaging and Innovative Teaching Methods.