The French Interior in the 18th Century [Hardcover]

John Whitehead (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 4, 1993

The eighteenth century was a period of great inventiveness and originality in French decorative arts and interior decoration.

This book discusses in detail the creation and contents of the interiors of French aristocrats and financiers, including some that have never been photographed before. Using contemporary inventories, letters, and journals it brings to life the tastes and preoccupations of their creatorsthe Royal family, the aristocracy, the fashionable tourists, and the nouveaux riches, as well as the dealers and craftsmen who worked for them, the artists, designers andarchitects. In addition, it explores the wider context of the different styles of decoration, the effect upon them of changes in etiquette and social behavior, and the effect they had in turn upon the function and arrangement of rooms within the French interior.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Whitehead is a frequent exhibitor at international art and antiques fairs, and serves on the committee of the French Porcelain Society. He is a well-known authority on eighteenth-century decorative arts and interior decoration, and has previously written, with Dr Oliver Impey, on the use of Japanese lacquer on French furniture, and with Sir Francis Watson on the porcelain collection of the Grand Dauphin. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Studio Books (January 4, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525934448
• ISBN-13: 978-0525934448
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,175,940 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best on the subject, May 13, 2010

By 

Walter J. Wade "Quatorze" (New York City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: French Interiors of the Eighteenth Century (Hardcover)

For anyone interested in the decorative arts of 18th century France, this book is perfect. It has loads of very good pictures for the casually interested person and very clear and in-depth text for those of a more scholarly bent.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The French Interior in the Eighteenth Century, February 2, 2002

By 

Janice M. Brooks (Greensboro,NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The French Interior in the 18th Century (Hardcover)

This is an excellent resource book for Artists to research the decorative arts.It has influenced my art techniques tremendously . Fabulous color plates with good detail .Highly recommend this book.

21 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An overview not an in-depth view of wealthy french interiors, January 3, 2002

By 

K. Maxwell "katmax1" (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The French Interior in the 18th Century (Hardcover)

This book is somewhat misleading in it's title. In many ways "nick knaks of the french interior" might be more accurate. This book has some discussion of French aestetics, and some overall views of interiors, but concentrates on individual items such as furniture, porcelain, clientele and furnishing textiles.

The book has some lovely photographs, but if you are looking for a book full of wonderful photographs of 18th century French aristocratic interiors, then this book is probably not for you. Most of the photos are of the smaller items like nick knaks that make the "feeling" of French interior design.

For an overview of the great interior artists of the bits and pieces that make up french interior design this is good, but it's certinally not a comprehensive guide and in many ways is a dissapointing book.