The two photos above have become etched in my memory. You might think that the 18th c. Chinese wallpaper has something to do with it, but that's only a minor part of this story. It's those silver-plated orange tree tubs that I'm gaga for. Are they not beautiful? The tubs and the dining room housing them are located at Givenchy's château at Le Jonchet. (The photos above as well as many other images of Le Jonchet can be found in Christiane de Nicolay-Mazery's terrific book French Interiors: The Art of Elegance
According to de Nicolay-Mazery's book, Givenchy was inspired to commission the silver-plated tubs after similar ones owned by M. and Mme. Arturo Lopez-Willshaw. Unfortunately, I can find no photos of the Lopez-Willshaw tubs, although I wonder if photos of them ever appeared in any old auction catalogues. I even turned my library upside down trying to find images of other silver-plated tubs, but to no avail. I did, however, find a mention of Louis XIV's own silver orange tree tubs in Nancy Mitford's The Sun King
Since I'm only showing a scant two photos of silver tree tubs, I'm including photos below of the Orangery at Versailles as blog post filler. If any of you know of other examples of these beautiful tubs, please let me know.
The Orangery at Chateau de Versailles
French Interiors: The Art of Elegance
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
A Sterling Specimen
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Beautiful photos
ReplyDeleteIm gaga over this entire post.
ReplyDeleteYour subject for today is THE BEST and MOST TASTEFUL of all the blogs today. Is it any wonder that you are "The Peak of Chic", Jennifer?
Wow Bob! I'm totally blushing. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI, too, have always loved this room, and ALL of Givenchy's spaces. Silver plating did not come along until the 1830's-40's, so Louis XIV's were probably sterling. Large silver objects were often the first to be melted down in times of war, if not in Louis times, then possibly even by the Nazis. You still see cremon bolts that have been plastered over in France. This was to keep the Nazis from ripping them off the house and melting them for weaponry. Love your blog!
ReplyDeleteI love Orangeries, I've long been fascinated with them. Thank you for the photos from inside the orangerie at Versailles, when I have visited it has been closed. I grow a variety of citrus, in blue glazed clay...the silver pots are so much prettier!
ReplyDeleteSomething new to hunt for!
Windfohr- How very interesting! I do remember reading that so many of those wonderful and substantial sterling silver tables and consoles were melted down to pay for various wars. Very clever of the French to plaster over the cremon bolts!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the solid silver tubs, and tables, clocks, chandeliers, throne, cachepots, etc, that once adorned the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles were all melted down by Louis XIV to pay for a war (The War of the Spanish Succession, I believe, which placed a Bourbon prince on Spain's throne down to the present day)
ReplyDeleteYou can get an idea of the artistry of the tubs from the link below, which shows a Gobelins Tapestry of the actual Gobelins workroom at that time, with workers lifting huge sterling ewers, which also graced the palace. With candle light, the palace, thus adorned, must have been magical. It was noted even at the time that the funds realized by the melting of these treasures did not bring in as much as they were worth in metal, to say nothing of the lost artistry. The King, however, preferred they be melted down rather than make their way into the hands of his rivals. Such are the vicissitudes of pride.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Louis14-H.jpg
This is going to sound horribly snobby (something I am not) and yes, I do love your blog and have gained so very much from it but "Givenchy" is a brand (as is very much in evidence on their website), Hubert de Givenchy is the man and I do believe that he merits his full name, non?
ReplyDeleteThat said, this post blew me away with the elegance of the images!
That floor! Those worn, tan stone slabs. If I owned that room I would want to keep it empty just to look at the floor.
ReplyDeleteI was recently discussing comblanchien limestone with a friend who had been in France. Does anyone know what stone this is?
--Road to Parnassus
I think the tubs are so chic and unusual. I am not above a cheap imitation. I feel a craft project coming on.
ReplyDeleteThe tubs from the Lopez Willshaw collection have not been included in the sale from his estate. Strangely you can see them also not in the beautiful book Arturo published about his collection shortly before his death. But Givenchys taste is just so great.
ReplyDeleteProvence- Not snobby at all, and you are right! I mention him in tomorrow's post as well; I just double checked and I do include his first name in that post!
ReplyDeleteKerry- You should absolutely make one for yourself!
ReplyDeleteParnassus- I'm afraid that I don't know what kind of stone that is. Anybody know?
ReplyDeleteQuatorze and Anon- thank you for the information! It's most appreciated.
ReplyDeleteBTW, the Orangerie at Versailles is usually closed, but I believe one still can contact the chateau to pre-arrange a private tour. it is among the purest of Versailles architecture.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it is too late to respond to this but I looked up the stone as I had never heard of it. It is a stone that is quarried in Burgundy and is used more recently for urban projects due to its solidity and resistance to foot traffic and pollution. Here is the link to the quarry site (in French):
ReplyDeletehttp://www.setp.fr/
Sadly, they once had 1000 workers for the cutting and now only have 10 (if I understood right).
With all my Best,
Heather
Heather, thanks so much! Parnassus, hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteHow sad that it's down to 10 workers.
I have two copies of the Sun King and neither have the dust jacket. What does it look like?
ReplyDeleteI accidentally sent this with out a name. Ha ha. Except for Ma.
Mark- The cover is red and is emblazoned with a gold sunburst motif that is found at Versailles. Very striking.
ReplyDelete