As Paris resumes its normal pace, the question isn’t what to do but how to choose among the many offerings. Invitations begin to arrive, and last week I was delighted to find one to an event  I wouldn’t miss, the Salon du Collectionneur.

To kick off the rentrée, beginning on Friday, 125 antiquaires and art galleries will assemble beneath the nave of  the Grand Palais for the fourth edition of the Salon. Created in 2003, the Salon is held every two years, alternating with the Biennale des Antiquaires. Both are under the auspices of the Syndicat National des Antiquaires, an association of gallery owners and experts,

Although the scope of exhibitors is less global than at the Biennale, with most coming from France and other European countries, the variety of offerings is no less so. Whatever your passion, from archeology to contemporary art, you are sure to see something  of interest. From the jewels of a lady at the court of Louis XIV to skeletons of prehistoric reptiles, passing by an 18th century commode on the way to a chair in polyurethane by Gaetano Pesci or a painting by Zao Wou-ki, the quality is assured. All exhibitors and their works are vetted by the organizing committee of the Syndicat  before being invited to participate.

For those who experience a coup de foudre (love at first sight), the works exhibited are for sale. As for logistics, the dealer selling a piece will handle the customs requirements.

From 11 – 20 September 2009 from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m, with Nocturnes on Tuesday the 15th and Thursday the 17th until 10:00 p.m., at the Grand Palais (Métro Champs-Elysées-Clémenceau), www.sdcfrance.eu.

Jan del Monte, blogging from the rue du Cherche-Midi, Paris, France

© 2009 Jan del Monte

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“Pride goeth before a fall, and a haughty spirit before destruction.” Proverbs, 16:18

If only Nicolas Fouquet had heeded that admonition, we might not have today one of the most splendid monuments in all of France. For, you see, it was his château, Vaux-le-Vicomte that inspired Versailles as we know it.

Fouquet was the minister of finance and faithful to Louis XIV. His loyalty did not go unrewarded, nor did it prevent him from skimming the Treasury. That, coupled with two successive “good” marriages, allowed him to amass an impressive portfolio of real estate; the jewel was Vaux-le-Vicomte. For this property, he called upon upon a trio of brilliant stars of the epoque — Louis Le Vau, first architect of the King; the painter-decorator Charles Le Brun, who essentially controlled the arts during Louis’s reign; and André Le Nôtre, the noted landscaper. 

The work was completed in 1661. The result was a château that was innovative at the time and remains one of the finest examples of 17th century French architecture. It is surrounded by a moat and connected to the grounds by drawbridges. Nor did the grounds disappoint. Le Nôtre had created the first jardin à la française, with boxwood hedges in the form of arabesques, echoing the motif of an Oriental carpet, lagoons and canals, grottoes and fountains.

To inaugurate his property, and at the urging of the King, Fouquet hosted a grandiose celebration on 17 August 1661. The 3,000 guests (including the court of France, with the King as guest of honor) enjoyed a spectacular visit that included pieces of theatre, fireworks, and even the sight of a whale in one of the ponds. At nightfall, thousands of candles lighted their way as they discovered the interior and enjoyed a sumptuous dinner.

As the evening progressed and evidence of Fouquet’s wealth became more and more evident, the King grew increasingly annoyed. How could this upstart live in such grandeur, when the King’s palaces were in shabby disrepair? Louis wanted to arrest Fouquet on the spot, but was dissuaded by the queen mother. Two weeks later, Fouquet was siezed at Nantes, far from his Parisian supporters. After a trial, he spent the last 15 years of his life in prison.

The arrest of Nicholas Fouquet cannot be solely attributed to that evening, as the King had for some time (and not without reason) suspected him of diverting funds.

While Fouquet’s pride in his domaine was justifiable, one might argue that it was the haughty spirit of his King that led to his destruction. In the words of Voltaire, “The 17th of August at 6 o’clock in the evening, Fouquet was the King of France; at 2 o’clock in the morning, he was nothing.” There could be but one King of France.

As for Louis XIV, he engaged the trio, Le Vau, Le Brun and Le Nôtre, to undertake the renovation of Versailles. It incorporates many characteristics of Vaux-le-Vicomte, but on a much grander scale. Finally, the King had the most magnificent house in all of France.

Every Saturday night until the 10th of October (excluding the 12th of September), the château recreates its 17th-century splendor, offering visits by candlelight. More than three hours of preparation are necessary to light some 2,000 candles that illuminate the château.

 Vaux-le-Vicomte is open to visitors daily from the 14th of March until the 8th of November from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (closed on Wednesday, except in July and August). Acess by SNCF or RER ( Ligne D, Châtelet) from Paris to Melun; shuttles are available from the station in Melun to the château. Details are available (in French and in English) at www.vaux-le-vicomte.com.

(Photo credit: Direct Matin)

Jan del Monte, blogging from the rue du Cherche-Midi, Paris, France

© 2009 Jan del Monte

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And so began the collection that has been described as the most sumptuous in all of Europe, valued at €300 million, although some would say the estimation is low. Beginning on Monday evening, the collection will be dispersed, the hammer in the hands of the able François de Ricqles, vice president of Christie’s France. Since Monday, more than 150 workers have been engaged in transforming the Grand Palais into a setting worthy of what has been called “the sale of the century.”

The couple seemed to have a knack for acquiring things before they were à la mode. The bird is a 19th century work from the Ivory Coast, acquired at a time when African art was less known and less prized than today. They amassed an extraordinary collection of Art Déco furniture long before it enjoyed the demand of today. The list of artists represented in the collection reads like a litany of virtuosi of the fine and decorative arts — painters such as Goya, Géricault, Ingres, Léger, Mondrian, Matisse and Picasso, and decorative artists like Rateau, Dunand and Jean-Michel Frank.

There is controversy, as well. The Chinese government has demanded the return of two Qing Dynasty bronze animal heads — a rabbit and a rat — that they claim were looted from the Imperial Summer Palace near Beijing. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Cultural property specialists feel the claim is weak, given that looting took place nearly 150 years ago.

A public exhibition will be held this weekend and Monday morning, followed by the sale beginning 23 February at 7:00 p.m. For those of you who aon’t be in Paris, check out Sale Highlights online at www.christies.com.

And the bird sculpture? M. Bergé will be keeping it.

Yves Saint Laurent in front of Les Coucous by Henri Matisse

Théodore Géricault, "Portrait of Alfred and Elisabeth Dedreux"

Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, "Portrait of the Countess de La Rue"

Pablo Picasso, "Musical Instruments on a Pedestal Table"

Renaissance bronzes, with Dunand vase in the background

Photo Credits: 1 – 4, Le Figaro; 5, Point de Vue

Jan del Monte, blogging from the rue du Cherche-Midi, Paris, France

© 2009 Jan del Monte

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Last night, at the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature (Museum of the Hunt and Nature), 61 works, created following the tragic fire and donated by contemporary artists from France and around the world, were auctioned off by Christie’s, with the proceeds going toward the restoration of the venerated (and venerable) institution.

I arrived at the museum about an hour before the beginnning of the sale to view the exposition. The works were moving; until I saw some of  the photographs, I had no idea of the extent of the damage to the shop. There is a video of the exposition space and the art at www.deyrolle.fr.

I had thought of visiting the Musée, and last night provided the perfect opportunity. I discovered a little marvel. Housed in a beautiful 17th-century hôtel-particulier in the Marais, located on rue des Archives, the collections illustrate man’s rapport with his natural environment through the traditions of the hunt. They are grouped according to three themes: the instruments of hunt, from its origins to today; products of the hunt, including trophies and naturalized animals (my least favorite part); and most interesting, from my point of view, representation of animals and the hunt through works of art, including paintings, prints, sculptures, tapestries, ceramics and furniture.

Each room has a theme. Dog lover that I am, I particularly liked the room devoted to paintings of dogs. There is a small room devoted to the legends surrounding the unicorn. At one time, every gentleman (and some ladies, notably Elizabeth I of England) who had the means had what they called a cabinet de curiosités, filled with interesting specimens from the animal and mineral kingdoms. Such curiosity cabinets were not complete with the horn of a unicorn — later determined to be the spiral tusk of the narwhal whale.

If you find yourself in the Marais, this is a worthwhile way to spend a couple of hours. The site of the Musée is at www.chassenature.org. The nearest Métro stations are Rambuteau and Hôtel de Ville.

And now for the good new: Last night’s sale brought in more than €260,000, all going to Les Amis de Deyrolle.

The folie d’Artois and the parc de la Bagatelle were born of a wager between the comte d’Artois, younger brother of Louis XVI, and Marie-Antoinette. Artois had acquired the hunting pavillion, which was in a delapidated state; the Queen, amused when she first saw it, told her brother-in-law that she expected to be received there within two months. Artois rose to the challenge, and, due to the efforts of his architect and 900 workers, the folie was finished within the allotted time. The original gardens were designed by the Scottish gardener Thomas Blaikie, and subsequent owners have contributed to the evolution of the property.

Last  Monday, one of the most (and perhaps last) beautiful days of the year, I took advantage of the weather, accompanied by two clients who were as delighted as I. If you are in Paris this month, it is well worth the trip. The exhibition “Jardins de Cristal” continues through 2 November in the parc (and its Trianon).

The folie d'Artois

Fountain of the Maharajah of Jodhpur, Cristallerie Saint-Louis

In the Trianon, by Cristallerie Saint-Louis

In the Trianon, by Baccarat

In the Trianon, by Daum

Flowers along the trail

Bear, by Baccarat

The gloriette, a pagoda in metal, crowns a grotto

Another fantasy by Baccarat

A resident peacock with justifiable pride of place

The pagoda in the Anglo-Chinese style, à la mode at the time.

As in the 18th century, the residents are naturally elegant...

...as are their counterparts, executed by Lalique.

And finally, a family of scarecorws in front of the gardener's cottage

Jan del Monte, blogging from the rue du Cherche-Midi, Paris, France

 © 2008, Jan del Monte

First in a series.

Long ago, in a time before modern-day princesses fretted over thread count, Porthault began producing the linens that one dreams of and loves to dream in. Audrey Hepburn slept on sheets imprinted with field flowers, while Charlie Chaplin insisted on linen.

In 1920, Madeleine and Daniel Porthault, inspired by the gardens of Giverny and the palette of the Impressionists, introduced the first colored sheets. At a time when all bed linens were white, they were an immediate sensation and were followed by table linens and, in the 40s, by printed bath linens.

In addition to colored sheets, many of the things we have come to take for granted were a Porthault innovation. Printed fabrics (Porthault artisans still screen print them by hand), scalloped borders outlined in embroidery, lace trim and embroidery (also realized by hand), and the finest materials are marks of the brand.

Porthault opened a shop in New York in 1960 and have always enjoyed an international clientele. Jacqueline Kennedy, Winston Churchill, the Duchess of Windsor (for whom Porthault created a specially monogrammed model), numerous Rothschilds, Rockefellers, Forbes and Fords have all slumbered in Porthault sheets. For the rest of us, there are white sales in January and July.

 Each year, several models from the archives of more than 5,000 prints and 20,000 original embroidery designs are reissued and made available to the public. 

Thanks to two francophile Americans, the savoir-faire of the venerable house will remain in France. In 2005, the company was purchased by Joan and Bernard Carl, who have invested $9 million to renovate the workshops near Cambrai. According to Joan Carl, “The soul of Porthault has always been French and will remain so.”

The website is still under construction, but click on it to find some interesting visuals. It is scheduled to be up in the fall and promises to be exciting.

Pleasant dreams.

(Photo: D. Porthault)

Jan del Monte, blogging from the rue du Cherche-Midi, Paris, France

© 2008 Jan del Monte

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