Last week we visited the Palace of Versailles… in its opulant ginormous splendour. Words cannot describe how vast; how beautiful; how magnificent it is. And written large across it in both word and architecture is the declaration “toutes les glories de la France”, "all the glories of France." From Louis XIII’s first simple hunting lodge in 1623, Louis XIV, XV and XVI clearly had more to prove. Napolean continued the extravagance. All to the glory of France and, it seems, a lot to do with leaders’ egos. Power was on display in the extensive buildings and gardens. There is no doubt: it is magnificant! But as we were overwhelmed by the architecture, the fabrics, the paintings, the sculptures, the fountains… I found myself wondering about why we as humans have this desire to prove ourselves. And ultimately for me, I need to ask the question, for whose glory?
