Before Versailles,
There Was Vaux-le-Vicomte
EPISODE #1
VAUX
the art club
Welcome to our time travel through the history and personal stories of a handful of the most iconic places that families call their home today.
In Episode 1 we step inside Vaux-le-Vicomte, the largest private chateau in France. Originally built by Nicolas Fouquet in 1661 it has now been owned by the Vogüé family for 5 generations.
It is the past that informs the present and enables us to appreciate and understand the future - and it shall be our pleasure to meet Alexandre de Vogüé, whose family have been the custodians of Vaux for the last 150 years, the faithful upholders of Fouquet's magnificent creation.
But first, let us travel back in time, when the legend of Vaux started with one very fateful and utterly unforgettably party ...
"Fouquet really wanted
to blow the mind of everyone"
- Alexandre de Vogüé -
PODCAST
"It was a land I considered to be my main domain, where I wanted to leave some trace
of the state in which I had lived...”
Nicolas Fouquet
Past & Present
Alexandre de Vogüé
on growing up at Vaux
"It was a different home from my friends at school, but back then I didn’t realise at all the privilege I do feel I have today – the huge privilege to preside over Vaux’s destiny.”
Five Generations
Alfred Sommier (1835-1908)
The industrialist purchased Vaux at auction in 1875 and launched the colossal task of restoring the abandoned estate to its former glory. His son, Edme Sommier and his wife Germaine Casimir-Perier, pursued the mission, during all their lives. This task continues today under the stewardship of their grandson, Patrice de Vogüé, and his three sons, Jean-Charles, Alexandre and Ascanio.
Patrice and Cristina de Vogüé
Alfred Sommier’s great-grandson, Patrice de Vogüé opened the estate to the public in 1968. He is a tireless advocate of 17th century decorative arts and regards his home as an example of their apex. His wife Cristina created a souvenir shop, considered one of the most beautiful château gift stores in France, and opened the restaurant le Relais de l’Ecureuil in 1985.
The Vogüé family also created a non-profit foundation, “L’Association des Amis de Vaux-le-Vicomte” in 1983 as a fundraising vehicle for the restoration and preservation of this world-class treasure.
Ascanio, Jean-Charles and Alexandre de Vogüé
In 2012, Jean-Charles and Alexandre de Vogüé followed in their father’s footsteps and took over the running of the domain, determined to increase its influence on the French and international cultural scene. Joined by their brother Ascanio in 2015, they thus become the fifth generation of their family to manage the domain.
NEXT EPISODES
BOROS ART BUNKER
BERLIN
CASA MALAPARTE
CAPRI
PALACIO
DE LAS DUENAS
SEVILLA
LONGLEAT HOUSE
LONGLEAT
FALLINGWATER
PENNSYLVANIA
EPISODE #1: VAUX
Nicholas Fouquet
VAUX LE VICOMTE, 51 MILES FROM PARIS ... THE REMARKABLE CREATION OF NICHOLAS FOUQUET, FIRST MINISTER AND FINANCIER EXTRAORDINAIRE ...
FOUQUET ACQUIRED THE ESTATE IN 1641. HE WAS BORN TO A WELL REGARDED FAMILY OF THE NOBLESSE DE LA ROBE AND BY THE AGE OF 26 WAS AN INFLUENTIAL MEMBER OF THE PARLEMENT DE PARIS, SO MUCH SO THAT HE JOINED THE SUITE OF CARDINAL MAZARIN, THE DE FACTO RULER OF FRANCE, THE NEXT YEAR.
A PASSIONATE SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS, FOUQUET ENLISTED THE GREATEST TALENTS IN FRANCE TO REALISE HIS MONUMENTAL VISION - LOUIS LE VAU THE RENOWNED ARCHITECT, CHARLES LE BRUN THE ACCLAIMED DECORATOR AND ANDRE LE NOTRE THE EXCEPTIONAL GARDEN DESIGNER.
FOUQUET HAD AN ENTIRELY ORIGINAL MASTER PLAN: HE REQUIRED PERFECT HARMONY AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CREATIVE TRIO, HE GAVE THEM FREE REIGN, UNLIMITED FUNDS AND ENCOURAGED THEM TO BE AS AUDACIOUS AND BOLD AS POSSIBLE ….. AND SO IN 1656 CONSTRUCTION COMMENCED .….
FOUQUET WAS AN INSPIRED PATRON AND VISIONARY, FOR VAUX TRANSFORMED THE WAY BY WHICH GREAT HOUSES WERE UNDERSTOOD AND DEFINED.
UPON COMPLETION OF THE MASTERPIECE … AND TWENTY YEARS - TWENTY YEARS!! - AFTER PURCHASING THE ESTATE … FOUQUET HOSTED A “HOUSE-WARMING“ PARTY OF EXTRAORDINARY GRANDEUR, FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT GUEST IN FRANCE: THE THEN 22 YEAR OLD SUN-KING LOUIS XIV.
FOUQUET ASPIRED TO BECOME HIS FIRST MINISTER AND HOPED THE CELEBRATION WOULD BOLSTER HIS CREDENTIALS. HOWEVER, IT IS NO EXAGGERATION THAT THE FEAST AT VAUX CHANGED THE FORTUNES OF FOUQUET, FRANCE AND INDEED THE WORLD ....
August 17,1661
ON THAT FATEFUL AUGUST 17 1661, LOUIS ARRIVED AT 6.00PM, WITH HIS MOTHER THE DOWAGER QUEEN, ANNE OF AUSTRIA AND HIS FULL RETINUE OF THOUSANDS - NO DOUBT THIS INCLUDED HIS MISTRESS EN TITRE THAT EXQUISITE FRAGRANT SEXPOT LOUISE DE LA VALLIERE.
VATEL, THE HUGELY CELEBRATED CHEF OF FOUQUET SERVED A MAGNIFICENT COLD FEAST TO THE ROYAL GUESTS WHO WERE SEATED IN THE GARDENS AT 80 - EIGHTY - TABLES .......... AND ATE OFF GOLD PLATE ( THAT IS A LOT OF GOLD PLATE !!) THE PREMIERE OF MOLIERE'S COMÉDIE-BALLET, ‘LES FÂCHEUX’ FOLLOWED, ENLIVENED WITH MUSIC BY LULLY, RESPECTIVELY THESE WERE THE GREATEST PLAYWRIGHT & COMPOSER OF THE AGE!
THE EVENING CONCLUDED WITH PERHAPS THE MOST SPECTACULAR DISPLAY OF FIREWORK EVER WITNESSED IN THE REALM - AND THEN ... DISASTER STRUCK … AN UTTER CATASTROPHE.
COMPLETELY UNFORESEEN BY FOUQUET - THE YOUNG, INSECURE AND IMPRESSIONABLE SUN KING …….WHOSE ROYAL NOSE TRULY HAD BEEN PUT RIGHT OUT OF JOINT ( TO PUT IT MILDLY !) BY THIS MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE OF GRANDEUR FROM WHAT HE CONSIDERED AN OVERMIGHTY SUBJECT …...A DISPLAY LOUIS COULD NOT RIVAL NOR EVEN IMAGINE UNTIL THAT EVENING ….. THE KING LEFT, DEPARTED, BUGGERED OFF … RATHER THAN STAY IN THE BEDROOM BUILT FOR HIM ( A ROOM WE SHALL MOST CERTAINLY LINGER IN LATER !!)
FOUQUET HAD MADE A MASSIVE MISCALCULATION AND HAD UTTERLY MISJUDGED THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HIS MONARCH. SUCH AN EXTREME SNUB AND DISPLAY OF ROYAL DISFAVOUR FROM THE KING LEAD FOUQUET TO OFFER - IN VAIN - THE KEYS OF THE CHATEAU TO HIS MONARCH.
INSTEAD, LOUIS WENT STRAIGHT BACK TO PARIS, A JOURNEY HE CANNOT HAVE LOOKED FORWARD TO BY NIGHT …… ALBEIT NO DOUBT CONSIDERABLY MITIGATED BY THE PRESENCE IN THE ROYAL CARRIAGE OF THE DELECTABLE AND DELICIOUS LOUISE DE LA VALLIERE …….
AS VOLTAIRE PERFECTLY SUMMED IT UP:
“ON 17 AUGUST, AT SIX IN THE EVENING FOUQUET WAS THE KING OF FRANCE: AT TWO IN THE MORNING HE WAS NOBODY.”
Fouquet's Fate
THREE WEEKS LATER THE KING STRUCK - FOUQUET WAS ARRESTED BY D’ARTAGNAN, CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL MUSKETEERS ON CHARGES OF EMBEZZLEMENT, ( WE SHALL FOLLOW HIS THREE YEAR TRIAL LATER IN THIS EPISODE.)
FOUQUET WOULD NEVER RETURN TO HIS BELOVED VAUX. THE SPITEFUL KING OVERTURNED THE SENTENCE OF BANISHMENT IMPOSED BY THE PARLEMENT AND WITH MORE THAN A WHIFF OF VENGEANCE INCARCERATED THE CREATOR OF VAUX IN THE GRIM FORTRESS OF PIGNEROL NEAR TURIN IN 1664 FOR THE REST OF HIS DAYS, 16 LONG YEARS. IT IS SAID THAT THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK WAS IMPRISONED IN THE NEXT DOOR CELL. LOUIS TURNED A DEAF EAR TO ALL PLEAS FOR CLEMENCY AND FORCEFULLY EXPRESSED ROYAL DISPLEASURE AT SUCH UNWELCOME INITIATIVES, EVEN TO THE ELEGANT AND SUBTLE PLEA OF LA FONTAINE.
VAUX WAS RANSACKED, PILLAGED OF IT ‘S SUPERB FURNISHINGS, PICTURES, GOLD PLATE, TAPESTRIES, STATUES AND OBJECTS OF ART. EVEN THE ORANGE TREES WERE STOLEN AND TRANSFERRED TO THE NEW PALACE AT VERSAILLES ….. WHERE HE (RATHER LESS SUCCESSFULLY THAN HIS MINISTER) SOUGHT TO PERSONIFY THE GREATNESS AND GLORY OF FRANCE AND TO OVERWHELM THE BEHOLDERS WITH THE GLOIRE AND RADIANCE OF THE SUN-KING (WITH A LESS SUBTLE AND HEAVY HAND.)
HOWEVER, ANATOLE FRANCE, THE GREAT FRENCH POET AND WRITER NOTED WITH HIS USUAL PERSPICACITY:
"WHAT LOUIS XIV COULD NOT TAKE FROM FOUQUET WAS THE SENSE OF TASTE THE FEELING FOR ART, AND THE DELICATE PROFOUND INSTINCT FOR BEAUTY THAT MADE THE SUPERINTENDENT SO DEAR TO ALL THE ARTISTS WHO WORKED FOR HIM.”
Vaux
Past & Present
IN MY 30 ODD YEARS AT CHRISTIE’S AS A GENERAL VALUER I HAD THE PRIVILEGE AND PLEASURE OF WALKING AROUND THE GREAT ESTATES OF EUROPE AND WE ARE UNQUESTIONABLY STANDING OUTSIDE ONE OF SEVEN WONDERS OF FRANCE AND ONE OF THE LOVELIEST BUILDINGS IN THE WORLD.
SO LET US JOURNEY BACK IN TIME TO THE EVENING THAT CHANGED HISTORY. LET US DINE WITH LOUIS XIV, DANCE WITH LOUISE DE LA VALIERE AND LET’S HEAR FROM THE MAN HIMSELF, NICOLAS FOUQUET.
OUR VOYAGE AT VAUX WILL EXPLORE THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING AND GARDENS AND THE EMBELLISHMENT OF BOTH …. AND ABOVE ALL THE PERSONAL STORIES AND FAMILY FATES THAT THESE WALLS HAVE WITNESSED OVER THE PAST 350 YEARS.
AND WHOM BETTER TO BE OUR GUIDE THAN THE FAMILY WHO CALLS VAUX THEIR HOME TODAY. IT SHALL BE OUR PLEASURE TO MEET ALEXANDRE DE VOGUE, WHOSE FAMILY HAVE BEEN FOR FIVE GENERATIONS THE MOST REMARKABLE CUSTODIANS OF VAUX, THE FAITHFUL UPHOLDERS OF FOUQUET’s MAGNIFICENT CREATION .... ALEXANDRE WILL SHOW US THOSE FATEFUL KEYS REJECTED BY THE SUN-KING!
THE PRESENT IS OUR ROADMAP TO THE FUTURE AND WE SHALL PONDER WHAT LESSONS WE CAN LEARN AND DRAW OUT SOME UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES TO GUIDE US FORWARDS - MY GOODNESS I AM SO CONFIDENT THAT WE SHALL NOT FAIL.
ANATOLE FRANCE ALSO WROTE THAT
“ ... TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS, WE MUST NOT ONLY ACT BUT ALSO DREAM: NOT ONLY PLAN BUT BELIEVE “
IS VAUX NOT THE PERFECT EXPRESSION - INCARNATION IN STONE - OF THIS INSIGHT - VAUX - VAUX THE INCOMPARABLE AWAITS US ..........