These three notebooks are illustrated with plans of the Palace of Versailles based on watercolours by Jean Chaufourier (1679-1757).

The covers of the first and second represent, respectively, the plan of the fountains and lizards and the plan of the maze are from the collection of the palaces, gardens and fountains of Versailles, Trianon and the menagerie, drawn up for Louis XV.

The third cover represents part of the plan for the Neptune fountain and the Dragon fountain, a watercolour from the “Plans des châteaux et jardins de Versailles” collection, drawn up by Louis-Antoine de Pardillan, Duc d’Antin, the King’s Superintendent of Buildings.

The fountains are an essential part of formal French gardens. André Le Nôtre managed to bring different water features together in the gardens. Water cascades down in some groves, spurts up from fountains or remains calm in others to reflect the Palace architecture, as is the case of the Water Parterre.

Artists: André Le Nôtre (1613-1700), Jean Chaufourier (1679-1757)
Pages: 48 lined pages / flapped cover