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Monday, January 26, 2015

French Decor in the Wrightsman Galleries


On our recent trip to New York City, we visited the Wrightsman Galleries at Metropolitan Museum of Art. The gallery contains some of the most beautiful collections of 18th century French interiors. Illuminated with soft candlelight from the many chandeliers, it was fascinating to see how the Grand Salons of that period might have looked during the time of Marie Antoinette! Several of the pieces belonged to Marie Antoinette herself, while others have been acquired from various Parisian townhouses and hotels of the period. 

The Sevres porcelain pieces at the gallery is absolutely exquisite!



The intricate detailing, motif, and the gilding of the Sevres porcelain is so beautiful! Ordered by Louis XV, this wine-bottle cooler is one of the the eight produced by the Vincennes factory in 1751. 


The original owner of this drop-front secretary was a famous opera singer of the late 18th century! The graceful lines and the Sevres-porcelain-embellished plaques make this gorgeous piece of furniture a work of art! Imagine how pretty it must have looked in the boudoir of the soprano singer as she sat down to pen down her correspondences!



The richly embroidered bed hangings and the beautiful silk tapestry on either side of the bed date back to the reign of Louis XIV, one of the most powerful monarchs of France. The detailed embroidery work is absolutely amazing!


Aptly named as the Bordeaux room, the decorative arabesque wall paneling of this pretty circular room is from a private residence (1785) in Bordeaux, France.


This magnificent bed with the domed silk canopy belonged to the wife of a distinguished statesman from the court of Louis XV. I loved the muted colors of this room and how the soft blue of the bed linens stands out so prettily against all the neutral hues. Note the beautiful tapestry above each of the doors in the room. 


Richly upholstered chairs lining the walls, beautiful paintings on white and gold paneled walls, and elegant console tables and cabinets crafted by skilled artisans dominate this luxurious formal reception room and provides the visitor with a glimpse of the opulence and refinement of an aristocratic French residence during the final decades of the monarchy.

The flickering candlelight from the gorgeous chandeliers reflected in the textured walls transform this room into a luxuriously elegant reception room!



The wall paneling in this room with its exquisite carving done in high relief came from the Hotel de Varengeville, an 18th century Parisian hotel.



Another beautiful example of French decorative interiors from The Cabris room:


 Many of the furniture pieces and the fireplace screen partially hidden from view is from Marie Antoinette's boudoir in Fontainebleau.


The mechanical table on the bottom left corner belonged to Marie Antoinette as well as the gilt-bronze wall scones. Both are from Antoinette's Chateau de Saint-Cloud. Among all the paintings in the Wrightsman galleries my favorite is this beautiful painting by Rose Adélaïde Ducreux's ~ Self Portrait with Harp (Salon 1791). The silk taffeta of her gown is so realistic and absolutely gorgeous!  

I hope you have enjoyed taking a tour of the French interior decor from the time of Marie Antoinette. The Met Museum has done an excellent job recreating the opulence and grandeur of a bygone era. Don't you think?


 I would also like to thank these wonderful hostesses for showcasing my 2014 Holiday Tablescape at their weekly linky parties! Stop by and visit their beautiful blogs for loads of inspiring ideas and projects or simply share your creative side at their linky parties :)
Christine @ Rustic and Refined
Jann @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs Olson
Jody and Stan @ Rooted in Thyme
Thank you ladies!

 Thanks for stopping by!

 ~Hugs, Poppy~

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8 comments:

  1. Angelina at Petite HausJanuary 28, 2015 at 12:22 AM

    Thank you for sharing with us these beautiful pictures of French antiques. Could you imagine sleeping in such a bed? Or dining on such fine porcelain?

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  2. Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. OlsonJanuary 28, 2015 at 7:22 PM

    What a beautiful museum Poppy and the porcelain is absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for sharing it with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  3. NicoleJanuary 28, 2015 at 11:42 PM

    Thank you for sharing. that is quite impressive!

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  4. Candy SFebruary 4, 2015 at 9:09 PM

    What fun you must have had visiting this wonderful museum and seeing all of these beautiful works of art. The workmanship is truly exquisite. We tend to think of beautiful antiques in terms of who owned them instead of who created them. It is good to know that these beautiful objects of art are being preserved for all to see and for all to be able to admire the craftsmanship of all of this beauty.

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  5. Ann Marie at Iris AbbeyFebruary 4, 2015 at 10:38 PM

    These are beautiful pictures. I especially liked the Cabris Room and the drop-leaf desks. Just gorgeous. Thanks for sharing. I saw your link at Amaze Me Monday.

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  6. The Vintage ChateauFebruary 12, 2015 at 10:12 PM

    Oh it's been too long since I've been to the Metropolitan! Thanks for the fun tour!
    Karee

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  7. UnknownFebruary 17, 2015 at 1:52 AM

    Hi Poppy! Amazing pictures. Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  8. Alicia@ eco friendly homemakingFebruary 18, 2015 at 7:02 PM

    Absolutely Gorgeous!!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by and for your loving thoughts. They make me smile!Hugs~Poppy