Gogotte Sandstone Formation

A gogotte is a millions-of-years old, naturally-shaped sandstone formation, consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate. The finest specimens are found in Fontainebleau, France, renowned for its extremely fine-grained, porcelain-like sands. Each one of these natural mineralogical works of art takes on a unique form, often evoking clouds, whirlwinds, or living creatures.

Gogottes were a great inspiration to the Surrealists, as well as to artists Louise Bourgeois and Henry Moore, and have captured the imagination of some of the most powerful aristocrats and rulers. Louis XIV, the "Sun King,” was so seduced by them that he had numerous specimens excavated to decorate the gardens at the Palace of Versailles, and a great number of the ornate formations could be found surrounding the mysterious Grove of the Three Fountains, built by French landscape architect André Le Nôtre in 1677. Destroyed during the time of Louis XVI, the Grove was reconstructed in 2004 with gogottes appearing in all their natural splendor, thanks to the patronage of La Société des Amis de Versailles and The American Friends of Versailles. A particularly well-preserved example of a gogotte sandstone formation is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., and more recently, a particularly fine gogotte was donated to London's Natural History Museum to honor the 90^th birthday of beloved naturalist David Attenborough.