The Coronation of Napoleon by Jacques-Louis David
This is one of the great paintings in the history of France. The ceremony that confirmed Napoleon Bonaparte's grip on power took place on December 2, 1804, and the work shows the emperor crowning his wife Joséphine while Pope Pius VII looks on as a bystander. To avoid the precedent of Charlemagne, who was crowned by the pope in the year 800, Napoleon used this gesture to assert his supremacy over the power of the Vatican. The painting at Versailles is a copy made by Georges Rouget, the original being held at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Vast in scale and dense with figures, it rewards a long, careful look.
The Count of Artois pendulum clock
One of the most prominent pieces in the King's Apartments, this clock depicts Hannibal, the Carthaginian general who challenged the Roman Empire. Standing about 27 inches (69 centimeters) tall and worked in gold, it is an imposing object whose fine detail rewards a close look amid the splendor of the royal rooms, a meeting of timekeeping and sculpture.
The portrait of Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France
Marie-Antoinette's influence over Versailles went far beyond that of a king's wife. Asserting her own tastes and seeking refuge from her constant homesickness, she made the Petit Trianon a place where she could relax and find fulfillment, away from the court of Louis XVI. The portrait of Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France exists in several versions, and one of them is on display at the palace, offering a glimpse of the woman behind the legend.
