"La Résidence de l’Ambassadeur de Grande-Bretagne à Paris" 2011 KNOX, Tim
$450
KNOX, Tim
[176] pp.
Flammarion
2011
12 1/2" x 9 7/8"
NEW
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The British Ambassador's Residence in Paris is one of the most magnificent historic mansions in the French capital and is the most impressive of British residences abroad. The author, Tim Knox, retraces the fascinating history of this building, first the private mansion of the Dukes of Charost, then the sumptuous home of Pauline Bonaparte, Napoleon's sister and Princess Borghese, who has kept a large part of its luxurious décor and furniture from that time. Since 1814, when it was sold to the first Duke of Wellington, the house has served as the residence of successive British ambassadors to France, who have modified the decoration to suit their tastes and personalities; this was the case for Sir Duff Cooper and his beautiful wife, Lady Diana, whose Empire-style desk evokes the brilliant circle of artists and intellectuals that gravitated around them in post-war Paris. This sumptuous house on the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré, which contains masterpieces of Empire furniture and decorative arts, English silverware and paintings by British artists, is a splendid yet lively setting that helps to promote good relations between France and Great Britain.