Chers Amis de L’Ecole du Bon Goût,
Last month when I was “studying” at the Musée Louvre for two full days, I took numerous photos of a circa 1740 salon that has been of particular interest to me since it was acquired in 1989. This room is unique in the Louvre’s collection of period rooms in that it was acquired quite intact architecturally speaking as well as with much of its original furnishings. The original furniture includes: four marble top console tables, two canapés, two bergères, and the chandelier.
In addition to this remarkable physical survival, the names of the craftsmen involved are known! François-Simon Houlié supplied the boiserie paneling and the console tables, all painted in the same two shades of muted green by the painter Jean-François Chevalier. Louis-François Trouard who was marbrier du roi sculpted the fireplace chimney and the console tops from the same marbre de Sarrancolin and Michel Cresson created the seat furniture, again painted to match the boiserie and consoles. The over door paintings are by Jacques de Sève and the chandelier is métal argenté and cristal de Bohême. The fabric of the curtains is a reproduction of the original fabric used for both the curtains and the seat furniture.
Today many aficionados of décor are paranoid about having their interiors called too “matchy matchy” !! I myself like a very coordinated décor and this salon gives us a glimpse of a very successful original décor where everything was truly “matched”! Because of the limited and muted color pallet utilized throughout and the total absence of gold leaf, the room has something of the feeling of contemporary rooms popular today done in muted color schemes.
If these photos inspire you to “womp up” a serine but luxurious Louis XV décor for your very own, see following some antiques available now at Au Vieux Paris, to help you in your creation.
Mes Amitiés,
Robert E. Smith
Visit the Au Vieux Paris Antiques homepage (click here)
Browse a sampling of the merchandise available (click here)
Mes amitiés,
Robert E. Smith (337) 332-2852
http://www.auvieuxparisantiques.com
Loved the photos and learning about the Louvre room's details. Magnificent! Miss you, susan
Beautiful!