Interior view

During the last decade of the seventeenth century a number of rooms at Versailles, Trianon, and Marly were redecorated under Hardouin-Mansart’s direction, and for them a new style was evolved which marks the first stage towards the Rococo. Paneling became lighter, looking-glasses replaced over-mantels, cornices became less monumental, in fact, everything was done to make the decorations of the walls lighter and more elegant. The Salon de l’Oeil de Boeuf in the Château de Versailles, shown in the photo, is an example of this development.