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The Jacquemart-André Museum
by Kitty Nichols
There is a treasure to be discovered at 158 Blvd. Haussmann, in the 8th
district of Paris. It is the Jacquemart-Andre Museum, a magnificent
neo-classical mansion built in the 1870s. It was the home of Edouard
Andre, a prominent banker, and his artist wife, Nelie Jacquemart. These
avid art collectors devoted their lives and great wealth to assemble
one of the finest private art collections in the world. Yet, to support
the arts in Paris, Edouard Andre issued instructions to his buyers not
to outbid the buyers for the Louvre Museum.
The mansion is laid out in a series of
“period” rooms, each richly decorated to provide an opulent
backdrop to display the Andre's finest acquisitions. The rooms contain
18th century paintings, including works by Fragonard,
Titian, and Botticelli, as well as paintings by Reynolds, Van Dyke, and
Rembrandt. The mansion walls are also adorned with six spectacular
frescos by Tiepolo, the only ones found in France. The superb Beauvais
tapestries, sculptures, and objects d'art complete the decor of this
exquisite home.
The second floor is devoted primarily to the
Italian Museum, a group of rooms composed of the Sculpture Gallery, the
Florentine Gallery, and the Venetian Gallery that contains an
impressive collection of 15th Century paintings.
Of all of the houses in the world designed
for entertaining, this one has to be the most unique. The walls of the
Grand Salon could be moved by a system of hydraulic jacks, thus opening
the Grand Salon, the Music Room and Picture Gallery into an immense
room that could accommodate hundreds of guests. Invitations to this
house were coveted. In this house, the most influential people of Paris
were lavishly entertained by the owners.
But, the architectural feat of the Grand
Salon was not enough! Henri Parent, the brilliant architect who
designed this mansion, had lost the bid to do the Paris Opera to his
rival, Charles Garnier. So, he took his revenge with the Great
Staircase in the Winter Garden. His revenge was sweet. This monumental
marble staircase makes two graceful turns as it spirals up to the
second floor. The design of this majestic staircase has never been
duplicated.
A visit to the Jacquemart-Andre Museum is a feast for the eyes and food for the soul.
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