140 



GARDEN CRAFT IN EUROPE 



cent groups of sculpture by Coustou. The park of Marly adjoined that of 

 Versailles, and the two chateaux were connected by a broad avenue. The 

 design of the park and gardens has been erroneously attributed to Le Notre, 

 but they were entirely due to Mansart during the absence of Le Notre in 

 Italy. Under Louis XV many changes were made with a view to decreasing the 

 enormous expenses of Marly, and in 1728 the Riviere d'eau was replaced by a 

 Tapis vert. The opening years of Louis XVI's reign saw the decline of Marly 

 as a royal resort, and after 1784 Marie Antoinette's influence caused the King 



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to weary of the place. Just before the Revolution much of the park had been 

 let for agricultural purposes, and subsequently all that remained of Marly was 

 sold. Nowadays it is difficult to trace the outlines of what was once a famous 

 pleasure house, the only architectural feature remaining is the abreuvoir, 

 where from a gilded balcony the Court amused itself by watching the horses 

 being watered. The balcony was flanked by the famous groups of horses, 

 Coysevox's masterpieces, now adorning the entrance to the Champs Elysees. 

 All was destroyed in 1793, and Le Brun's series of pavilions where Louis 

 lodged his guests are now only shapeless ruins. 



