In last week's "What's in Their Library" feature, Todd Romano named two books which feature the charming illustrations of Alexandre Serebriakoff, a Russian born artist who painted interior scenes for the likes of Charles de Beistegui and Baron de Redé.
One of the books Todd mentioned,Alexis: The Memoirs of the Baron de Rede
Fortunately, de Redé also commissioned Serebriakoff to immortalize scenes from his Bal Oriental. The costume party, which de Redé says was one of the most legendary parties of the twentieth century, was an Eastern fantasy. Serebriakoff captured the colorful event with paintings of elephants, Nubians, and Chinese umbrellas. It certainly must have been some party!
Salles des Muses, Hôtel Lambert
The Drawing Room at the Hôtel Lambert
The Library, Hôtel Lambert
Serebriakoff's paintings of Le Bal Oriental, 1969.
Image at top: Serebriakoff's portrait of Alexis, Baron de Redé, dressed for his Oriental Ball.
Oh Le Bal Oriental is just magical. So glad you posted these images.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree, the illustrations lend a certain warmth to the interiors.
Peak, Redé's apartment in Hôtel Lambert was absolutely magical in person, not cold and grand at all. It was magnificently colorful, rather stately, yes, but filled with glimmers of gilt and the sheen of lacquer and intricately painted walls. The little Turkish-style sitting room (the Salle des Muses) was entrancing. And Serebriakoff's painting of the drawing room does it no justice at all in terms of atmosphere; when I was there, before the baron's death, it was stuffed with furniture and bibelots and cachepots brimming with majestic orchids and all tabletops scattered with all manner of charming (though wildly expensive) things. The apartment was exquisite, but the house itself was falling to bits around him: peeling paint, cracked windowpanes, desiccated parquet cracking underfoot like gunshots, silk curtains so fragile and old their weight was pulling them to shreds. Luckily Alberto Pinto is restoring the historic property for a member of the royal family of Qatar.
ReplyDeleteDear Peak, what a treat to see a batch of Serebriakoff's on a Monday morning!
ReplyDeleteThat library by Georges Geffroy is one of my favourite rooms of the 20th century.
Thanks for sharing!
This post was so enjoyable, Jennifer. The interiors were amazing, but Serebriakoff's skill in capturing them is even more amazing. Such amazing detail!
ReplyDeleteCourtney- Oh to have been a fly on the wall at the Oriental Ball!
ReplyDeleteAesthete- I stand corrected, and I'm glad you had the opportunity to see it firsthand. I rather admire him for letting it get a bit worn. Should be interesting to see Pinto's restoration.
ReplyDeleteToby- I thought it was a peppy way to get the week started!
ReplyDeleteAnne- Glad you enjoyed them :)
ReplyDeleteWho can top A.L., again? Brilliant comment. What an asset he is to the design blog world. Besides, you, of course, who continually posts on such wonderfully historic subjects.
ReplyDeleteCote, I was actually sort of gobsmacked to see that even the glazing putty of the windows in the drawing room and the library had pulled entirely loose in spots, actually entirely vanished. Which meant there was water damage from seeping rain, et cetera, all down the painted walls and on the back of the curtains. God only knows how long that had been going on.
ReplyDeleteAesthete- I didn't realize it was that worn! That's really a shame.
ReplyDeleteThe images of le Bal oriental are entrancing.They just transport one to a magical world.
ReplyDeleteThanks for showing these.
Best,
Philip
An example of aristocratic disregard.
ReplyDeleteThe ravishing room which was the stage of the Bal Orientale was the Galerie d'Hercules ...
ReplyDeleteLe Bal Oriental is one of our favorites. What an inspirational backdrop from the fabrics to the grand ceilings (and who could forget the costumes...)
ReplyDeleteDiana Vreeland did a feature on the bal for Vogue - the costumes had been fantastic, the guest list however was a bit mixed, more Cafe Society the true blue blood. There are some good pics also in the auction catalogue of the barons estate sold in Paris chez Sotheby's.
ReplyDeleteSascha
There is a great book on Serebriakoff published a few years ago in Italy with many views from chateau Groussay, the palazzo Labia Party of Beistegui, the Rothschild homes, and from Hotel Lambert, vues of the later which have not been included in the Rede sale at Sotheby's. Most of the views from Arturo Lopez-Willhas town house, have been sold a few years ago in London. Lopez of course was the boy friend of baron de Rede.
ReplyDeleteIn the last painting the Baron de Rede is standing next to Marie Helene de Rothschild and Aimee de Heeren .... does anybody know who the other people are ?
ReplyDelete