Versailles

Science and Splendour

By: Anna Ferrari

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Hardcover | 13 January 2026

At a Glance

Hardcover
128 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
25.8 x 21.9 x 1.7

Hardcover

$69.75

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A richly illustrated book that breaks new ground in exploring the relationship between science and power at the French court of Versailles ¢" published to accompany the exhibition at London¢s Science Museum.

Between the 1660s and the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789, the royal palace of Versailles ¢" commonly associated with its architecture, gardens and courtly splendour ¢" was also a place of serious scientific enquiry. This engaging book reveals how the French monarchy harnessed science to enhance its prestige and extend its global influence.

Versailles: Science and Splendour explores the relationship between science and power during the reigns of kings Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI, a period when the practice of what we now call ¢science¢ changed significantly, and highlights how science and empire were connected at Versailles.

This book, which accompanies a temporary exhibition at the Science Museum in London, features 16 chapters by experts from Britain, France and America. Each chapter is inspired by fascinating objects, from a stuffed rhinoceros to an exquisite astronomical clock. The stories covered range from the early days of the French Royal Academy of Sciences and the engineering behind Versailles¢s fountains, to the menagerie of rare animals that lived in the grounds and the first hot-air balloon flight at the palace.

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