Louis XIV's bedchamber was a key setting for events in the Sun King's day and was arranged to reflect this ceremonial function.
A gilded wood baluster separated public space from private space; the alcove, where the bed is set, was a place reserved for the monarch alone.
The decoration is particularly rich, comprised not only of gilded woodwork and heavy brocade embroidered in gold, but also paintings by the finest artists. These paintings by Le Valentin, Van Dyck, Domenichino and Lanfranco were chosen by the king himself and set into the wood panelling, indicating how the most valued pieces in the royal collection were integrated into the decor.