The Salon of Peace

The Salon of Peace forms a pair with the Salon of War, the two rooms mirroring each other across the Hall of Mirrors. While the Salon of War celebrates Louis XIV's military victories, the Salon of Peace celebrates the peace those victories brought.

Its ceiling painting shares a composition similar to that of the Salon of War: a personification of France stands at the center, holding a blue cloak and shield emblazoned with golden fleurs-de-lis, surrounded by deities symbolizing the immortality, peace, prosperity, and grandeur France gained through its victories. The painting on the far wall shows Louis offering an olive branch, a symbol of peace, to Princess Europa, the figure for whom the continent is named — but the Louis depicted here is not Louis XIV, but his great-grandson, Louis XV. Having fought in numerous wars throughout his life, Louis XIV reportedly left his successor this advice: do not be like me; avoid war whenever possible, ease the burdens on the people, and be a peaceful monarch — words said to reflect his own regret at having neglected domestic affairs while consumed by foreign wars. Louis XV, however, also plunged recklessly into war, further worsening the kingdom's already troubled finances.