A Chat with Visionary Artist Anu Papp-Scarmon
Conducted by Violet Boa
“Art is the whisper of history — and in Anu’s world, it sings.”
Within the virtual world of Second Life, where pixels explode into worlds and fantasies assume the loveliness of code, there exists an artist who continues to intrigue us all — my beautiful friend and long-time creative partner, Anu Papp-Scarmon.
We’ve danced together, by history, by storytelling — and today, we walk into one of her favorites: Le Jardin Romantique du Petit Trianon. A place where 18th-century grace, French culture, and digital art blend like the sweet scent of memory and imagination.
Come with me today into a conversation between two friends who speak one language — the language of beauty, sophistication, and timeless art.
A Timeless Journey of the Arts
Anu, Le Jardin Romantique du Petit Trianon is absolute perfection — a living testament to love of the past. What inspired this fantasy of yours? What invited you to transport 18th-century France into our virtual world?
Anu: My love is always for French history — its architecture, its small vignettes of beauty. The idea began as a whisper… an ache. Le Jardin Romantique is an offering to that love — to the beauty of the Petit Trianon and its serenity that it afforded those who walked its grounds.
Violet: The first time I arrived in the sim, I genuinely felt like I had walked into a painting — soft light, bird song, silk whispers. What was your vision for this project? What do you want visitors to get when they come in?
Anu: I desired every visitor to feel as though they have entered into a dream world suspended in time. The windlight is on a painter’s palette. The music? Carefully curated to awaken the heart. Not about seeing… but about feeling that soft transition — as though the world has slowed, the air has changed, and we are walking where elegance reigns.
Violet: This is not a copy — it’s a sensorial poem. How do you introduce your creative spirit to this world outside the building?
Anu: Art has been my vocabulary. Through dance, movement, or design, I try to evoke feeling. In Le Jardin, I infuse each stone, each hedge, each silence with emotion — so guests live history, they don’t merely view it.
Violet: That’s incredible detail, Anu. The floors, chandeliers, even the arc of the staircases are like being at Versailles. How do you research and give such incredible accuracy?
Anu: I dived into the Petit Trianon — reading initial floorplans, paintings, sculptures, furniture. It’s not cloning — it’s respect. Each copied room contains the memory of the real one, but also a trace of soul from virtual fingers that made it.
Violet: When visitors arrive, what do you want them to do? What do you want them to feel?
Anu: I hope they wander. Stop. Allow their eyes to unclench. Allow the past to surround them. It is where one is supposed to ponder, to imagine. As Karamzin himself wrote long ago, “and I see hills, fields, meadows, herds, a grotto…” — and so will they, as well.
Violet: Your work dissolves boundaries between fields. How do you see art, history, and virtual technology intersecting in this piece?
Anu: This is the beautiful crossroads where possibility intersects with the past. Virtual realities allow us to restore what is lost. Le Jardin is not so much a sim of history as it is dialogue between what was and what can still be remembered, felt, even imagined.
Violet: I know there’s something more than mere beauty — there’s play, interaction, and surprise. What can visitors do in the garden?
Anu: Oh, so much to discover! Walk through the sun-splashed promenades, venture into the grotto, have virtual tea, play En Garde, have portraits taken. It’s a photographer’s paradise and a romantic’s dream. There isn’t a corner that doesn’t invite interaction, not observation.
Violet: Such magic must take a village to create. Tell us about the behind-the-scenes collaborators — including that darling terraformer you are so well acquainted with. (smiles)
Anu: (laughs warmly) Ah — what started as a modest ask for terraforming evolved into a joyful collaboration with a valued old friend. We share a history of roleplay and deep affection for the Trianon. It is a bond that grows alongside the garden. And of course, working with you, Vi, continues to be a source of joy and artistic magic.
Violet: Will the fairy tale world keep growing?
Anu: Certainly. The hope is to include the Queen’s Hamlet and the Grand Trianon. Still in the same historical time frame — still whispering parasols and powdered wigs — but with a bit more history to explore.
Violet: I know your artistic spirit can’t resist bringing life and vitality to the sim. What sort of events are you thinking?
Anu: The Queen’s servant quarters will be repurposed as an art gallery — a home for revolving exhibitions. And yes, we will build the Queen’s Theater — intimate, atmospheric, perfect for poetic performances and Muse Dance Co. productions.
Violet: (smiles) Yay! We love Muse Dance Co.! And, Technologically, how is this magic powered?
Anu: Second Life itself is a canvas. We use all the tools — 3D modeling, sculpting, light presets — to paint our vision. The windlight settings, in particular, are very important in getting that timeless glow. Technology becomes the invisible brush in each scene.
Violet: Will there be room for community contributions or visitor creations?
Anu: For now, we’re more about building a clean historical setting. But we’re always open, always flexible. As the community becomes richer, we may find new ways of encouraging cooperation without compromising the integrity of the period.
Violet: Is this a sort of cultural preservation?
Anu: Certainly. We’re not just replicating bricks and mortar. We’re keeping emotion — the stillness of a garden, the intimacy of an instant. This had been a retreat for Marie Antoinette, away from the cacophony of Versailles. I wanted to honor that peacefulness.
Violet: How is everyone going to be able to enjoy this? How have you made it accessible?
Anu: The sim opened to the general public on October 1st, 2023 for 30 days. Then it became a group-access experience. But membership in Le Jardin Romantique remains free — always. This is a space to be shared, and we welcome all who seek beauty, peace, and art.
Violet: Anu, I am constantly inspired by you. This project is not only beautiful — it means something. What would you like to tell people who have not visited yet?
Anu: Come not as strangers, but as time travelers. Leave the world behind and enter a world born of imagination, love, and peace. Let this garden speak to your heart. And thank you, Vi, for standing with me every step of the way in this dream. Your friendship, your voice, your soul — they have caused Le Jardin to bloom beyond my wildest dreams.
Violet: Dear Anu, thank you so much for taking the time to share your vision with us. Your affection for Le Jardin Romantique du Petit Trianon leaps out at each detail, and it was pure bliss to surround ourselves in the history and craftsmanship of your beautiful work.
To give my readers the chance to experience and learn about the history and beauty of the Petit Trianon of Second Life is a privilege, and I’m sincerely grateful for your comments. Your efforts remind us that art can be a bridge over differences—giving life to the past and creating grounds for peace, contemplation, and imagination.
I look forward to our next collaboration and seeing the garden continue to grow. Thank you, dear friend!
Anu: Thank you, Vi. It was my pleasure. I’m so happy we could share the story behind the garden and bring this world to a wider audience. It means a lot.
Closing Thoughts
Le Jardin Romantique du Petit Trianon is not only a virtual creation; it’s a salute to beauty, to history, and to collaboration. Above all, it’s a salute to imagination.
This lovely historical site in Second Life is a reproduction of the Petit Trianon, created by architect Ange Jacques Gabriel. A gift from Louis XVI to Marie Antoinette in 1774, it was her sanctuary—a place where she could leave behind the strict formalities of Versailles. Here in this palace utopia, Marie Antoinette could modify the house and grounds to her own tastes.
Whatever has brought you here—silence, awe, or seeking inspiration—this garden is yours to stroll through and explore. From the dainty pathways and verdant foliage, we invite you to inhabit the 18th century. Give yourself over to the beautiful music and let yourself be smitten with the harmonies of nature.
As the Temple of Love Poems for Marie Antoinette poem suggests, here you are “free from remonstrations.encircling my buttress”! It is a refuge of peace and tranquility. Enter and give a bit of that freedom to share with us.
For the optimum experience, kindly turn your windlight to estate time and have music and sounds on. Above all, enjoy.
And maybe, like us, you’ll leave with more than you came.
Access and Welcome
We welcome everyone to Le Jardin Romantique du Petit Trianon.
Come join our group for access:
[Join our group here]
Teleport to Le Jardin Romantique du Petit Trianon
Yours in art and awe,
Violet Boa
Le Jardin Romantique du Petit Trianon PR & Dedicated Friend
