The Apotheosis of Hercules by Francois Lemoyne at the Chateau de Versailles

The restoration of The Apotheosis of Hercules, the ceiling painting in the Salon d'Hercule at Versailles, is an event of great magnitude for a number of reasons. First and foremost among these is the opportunity it has offered for the rediscovery and reappraisal of France's largest ceiling painting in the Italian style. In this major work, marking the end of both an era and a a genre, Francois Lemoyne produced his last masterpiece and the crowning achievement of his oeuvre. A virtuoso example of the art of decorative painting, it was created for the Salon de Marbre, the majestic and superlatively opulent culmination of the celebrated enfilade of Louis XIV's Grand Apartement. The completion of this two-year restoration campaign has thus served as an inspiration for an exhibition initiated and organised by M. Xavier Salmon - curator of eighteenth century paintings and drawings at Vesailles - the catalogue of which is included in this work. This book, moreover, brings together illuminating contributions by distinguished scholars in Europe - M. Marc Fumaroli, de l'Academie francaise, Professeur au College de France; Prof. Michael Antoine; Mr. Alastair Laing; Prof. Adriano Mariuz; curators at the restoration team of the The Apotheosis of Hercules - all of them shedding light on the complex genius - and restoration - of Lemoyne's masterpiece as well as on its historical and aesthetical background.