Quatrième de couverture
The dome of the invalides
A restored masterwork
An architectural marvel from the age of Louis XIV, the dome of the Invalides shines like a crown after a restoration campaign that stands as a model of excellence. Directed by a gifted architect, the worksite brought together the cream of skilled workers and specialized firms. The techniques and feats of the restorers of our time - monitored daily by an enthusiastic photographer - appear in the exceptional imagery of this book.
The dome of the Invalides - one of the splendours built by the Sun King - has ennobled the skyline of Paris since the late 17th century. In its day, its construction was a technical feat on a par with the wizardy of the great Gothic cathedrals.
But time threatens the most lasting works, and the dome of the Invalides had to be restored under Napoléon, Louis XVIII, Louis-Napoléon and, in 1937, for the Universal Exposition. Since then its gilding had worn away, leaving only grey lead roof-sheeting visible.
A five-year restoration campaign has just come to a close and once again the dome gleams with burnished gold. The stonework of the façades and the murals by Charles de La Fosse and Jean Jouvenet have also been restored.
The Dome of the Invalides - A Restored Masterwork, with photographs by François Poche and text by Historic Monuments architect-in-chief Jean-Claude Rochette, who directed restoration, salutes the men and women by whose work the monuments of our heritage live on.
Carte fidélité
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