A Day in the Eighteenth Century- Exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs

Paris in the 18th century was the capital of luxury. Voltaire defined it as "the superfluous- a very necessary thing". The majority of Parisians did not live in the lap of luxury, but it is amusing to dream that one was an aristocrat at the time with a mansion and servants, fifteen preferably. The exhibition at the Decorative Arts Museum allows the visitor to do that. A specific room for dining was created mid 18th century:

We imagine that we are in the 1780s, just before the Revolution ended it all. 

As Talleyrand said:

"Who hasn't lived in the years around 1789 doesn't know what the pleasure of life is."

In the first room the sounds of horses and carriage accompany illustrations of transport at the time. Ladies, and men, would often be carried around by two servants in a sedan chair:

There are also shoes raised-up on metal platforms to avoid the legendary Paris mud!

It is rare to have olfactory aids, but this exhibition has pleasant aromas of jasmine, for example, in the garden section. The mansion would be arranged between a courtyard and a garden. If no room was available, a small garden might be created on a terrace.  In Madame's boudoir there is a vinegary fragrance mingled with perfume. She would carry a small flacon of ammonium smelling salts in case of trouble with breathing caused by an emotional shock or a tight corset!

A painting by Baudouin gives us an idea of what a lady might be doing in her boudoir- the novel she has dropped on the table has obviously aroused her senses! 

 

Pierre Antoine Baudouin: La Lecture (Reading) ca 1765 gouache on paper

Apart from reading novels, Madame could be drawing, painting with water colour or concentrating on her needlework.

Her husband meanwhile might be relaxing in his oriental-looking dressing gown and cap (more comfortable than his wig) while reading his correspondence or preparing his snuff (of which both men and women partook in company):

Man's dressing gown ca 1760 silk satin lined with taffeta and indoor
cap of embroidered silk, lined with linen 1st half of 18C

When out and about, the man would wear a three piece bodysuit "à la française". His exposed calves would be covered by silk stockings, while a linen shirt would be concealed at the neck by a ruffle or cravat:

In the warmer season a lady would wear a light summer dress, composed of two parts:

To support the shape of her dress, articulated "paniers" might be worn underneath, examples of which may be seen in the underwear section. To preserve herself from prying eyes, a lady would wear a 'mantelet' or cape, possibly trimmed with lace or fur in winter:

The cane pictured above has a 'lorgnette' (spyglass) attached - to permit a closer view of things or people. 

The exhibition is set out very beautifully with examples of contemporary wallpaper in the corridor:

The visitor enters different rooms of the mansion, discovering the 18th century way of life. Playing cards was a favourite since the days of Versailles, where many lost huge sums. Another popular game was trictrac, played on the table below:

Trictrac might be described as a combination of cribbage and Backgammon; it was the game Louis XVI preferred. Dice and counters are stored in the little drawers.

Dinner, the main meal would be taken around 2pm (12pm for the working population). After supper, around 9pm, chamber music was popular. The music room would be equipped with a harpsichord perhaps, or guitar, flute and a harp: 

A painting by Watteau shows a concert in a forest. The shepherd on the left with the large hat is a self portrait of the artist:

Respectable Catholic families would have a chapel or a small oratory, in which there may be a prayer desk. Prayers were said morning and evening. The following desk combined with prayer stool is inlaid with precious woods:

Prayer desk by Jean-Baptiste 1er Tuart  Paris, ca 1760  oak base with hornbeam, boxwood,
satinwood and amaranth marquetry

A servant would awaken the master and mistress around 7am by drawing the curtains of the bed. The bedroom often possessed an alcove bed. Floral decoration came into its own in the eighteenth century:

As plumbed-in bathrooms were not available until the 20th century, the mansion would naturally have several porcelain chamber pots and a chaise percée (commode). The example below features the curvy lines of Louis XV style decoration:

Chaise d'affaires (Close stool) Paris ca 1740 walnut, beech and cane.

On the porcelain-inlaid desk below is a candle lamp with a moveable screen to protect the lady's eyes from the glare. The name of  this kind of desk, where a lady might read her daily post is a "bonheur-du-jour" (the day's moment of happiness):

The Musée des Arts Décoratifs was founded in 1864 with the aim of celebrating beauty joined to usefulness. Its collection of 17th and 18th century works (numbering 20,000) continues on the third floor, offering a panorama of techniques and materials. Around 550 works, mainly from the collection and rarely seen, are on show in this exhibition. 18th century France, in its technical perfection and refinement, was a beacon for Europe and the new world.

"A Day in the Eighteenth Century" exhibition 

at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, 107 rue de Rivoli, Paris !er.

Open daily, except Mondays, from 11am to 6pm

Metro: Palais Royal

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