Coving, the Nef (vessel) of Louis XIV

The gold vessel, detail of the ceiling of the Abundance Salon: Figure of the Royal Magnificence, Immortality and Progress in the Fine Arts, was one of major pieces in the collection of Louis XIV. The vessel weighed “twenty-six kilos of gold”. Placed on the mantelpiece of the Cabinet of Medals or Cabinet of Curiosities, this vessel was used during the king’s grand public Supper to hold scent bags and table napkins. Photo © EPV/ Jean-Marc Manaï