Tea at Trianon: A Taste of France in DC

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

A Taste of France in DC

From A Taste of France:

Marjorie Merriweather Post (1887-1973) was passionate about French art and culture, and her personal collection demonstrates her pursuit of beauty, craftsmanship and quality. Hillwood is set on 25 beautifully landscaped acres, and Post had intended to share it with future generations. “I want young Americans to see how someone lived in the twentieth century and how this person could collect works of art the way I have … I want to share this with the rest of the world,” Post said. Post’s sumptuous French drawing room features Sèvres porcelain, Gobelin tapestry, fine woodwork and upholstery, all inspired by the era of Louis XV and Louis XVI. As a special touch, 18th century carved paneling was installed to enhance the ambiance of this stunning space.

Post loved to display her many sets of fine dinnerware at the estate, representing a range of colours and patterns. One fine example is this Soup Tureen from the Vincennes Porcelain Manufactory, dating to 1754. This vibrant blue was highly valued, a signature colour of the factory at the time. (Read more.)