Restoration of the Mascaron "The Sun King"
A few months ago we “took down” the mask representing the young Sun King, in the presence of the production team from the show “Des Racines et des Ailes”, to give it a major cleaning.
Placed above the oak carriage door, itself from the Parisian mansion where Louis XIV raised his 150 illegitimate children*, this “bas-relief” has been entirely restored with gold leaf. ;
Once renovated according to the rules of the art, we placed it back on the facade of the castle but this time on the street side and no longer on the main courtyard side. Given the ancient traces of sealings found and its perfect fit in the different reliefs cut into the stone, this must have been its initial location.
It was the first time that I was able to observe so closely the contours of the face, the details of the hair, the relief of the jewels of this mask representing Louis the Great as a young man. This work, certainly dating from the 19th century, is in perfect state of conservation and the rendering, once gilded, gives our good Louis a proud look again. He can once again welcome our charming visitors with dignity.
A big thank you to the various stakeholders who spared no effort to renovate and raise high the beautiful work now fixed on the pediment of the castle:
- Kevin Fromheim (KSE Prestations) helped for the occasion by his father,
- Atelier Coty Charlotte and António Marques, Gilders in Beaune.
* sources: “Extract from the memoirs of Louis Brossard”