Which matters more: science or the arts? The answer is both, particularly at the magnificent 17th-century French court of Louis XIV.
Louis XIV was one of the first monarchs to establish institutions called academies to promote “research and development” in specific areas of the arts and science. His first patented academy reflected his greatest passion: court dance. In fact, the Académie Royale des Danses opened in 1661 when Louis was just 23 years old and renown across Europe for his prowess on the dance floor. After all, he had been king since he was not quite six years old!
The Academy of Dance was followed by an institution initially dedicated to unearthing accolades from Classical Antiquity to characterize Louis XIV’s accomplishments: the Académie Royale des Inscriptions et Médallions (1663), later renamed Académie Royale des Inscriptions et Belles-lettres. A year later, the Académie des peinteurs et sculptures (Painting and Sculpture, 1664) opened, followed by the Académie des Sciences in 1666 and the Académie d’Opéra in 1669.
It may seem odd to find an academy for scientific research interwoven with institutions advocating the arts. But we must remember two things: first, the arts, along with the military, were the two primary ways a monarch displayed his power throughout much of European history. Secondly, science in the 17th century was still a venture in its infancy—one which many monarchs regarded with suspicion. Louis XIV’s support for the sciences helped demonstrate to the world his unusually open and inquisitive mind.
During Louis XIV’s reign (1643-1715), scientific discoveries threatened so many aspects of traditional European culture. We understand this better when we consider certain pressing issues of today like genetic modification of foods (not to mention cloning).
But King Louis distinguished himself by welcoming many of the day’s scientists and affording some his patronage. The king’s leading voice promoting the formation of an the Academy of Science was Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683), a statesman and economist involved in virtually every aspect of Louis XIV’s government. In fact, when we read about the diverse interests and broad expertise of Colbert, we find a prototype for an Enlightenment figure like Jefferson who had knowledge of everything from horticulture to harpsichords.
Studying Louis XIV and his court at Versailles gives us a chance learn far more than military history. We can discover the origin of modern fashion, haut cuisine, streetlights, and even the umbrella. In short, we see a king who was rabid about promoting the best in research and development. And he could afford it! (Well, his extravagance did start France on the road to the 1789 Revolution, but that’s another story for another day.)
So, yes, let’s celebrate the unity of science and arts, from the Ancient Greek mathematician and music theorist Pythagoras to today’s top neurologists researching right-brain activity (the arts & creativity) in our most advanced laboratories. cience and the arts go together, hand-in-hand, right where they belong.
