Books, more books and lunch gossips

parisdiaArt, Books, Flowers and gardens2 Comments

Virginie des Horts was signing wildly at Galignani’s

Stéphanie des Horts is not only one of the most fun ladies in Paris, she is also a prolific writer. After publishing a book on Jackie and Lee Radziwill in 2019, she is now concentrating on  “Les Heureux du Monde”, the heroes of the Cap d’Antibes in the 1920’s, Sara and Gerald Murphy who inspired “Tender is the night”. You can follow Stéphanie and the Roaring Twenties in Cannes on May 21 and in Saint Tropez on May 22 where she will be signing her book. But it’s in Paris at Galignani’s that she was holding court last week and everyone was happy to see each other in this disguised cocktail party where you were being given a number at the entrance so that health security measures could be monitored…The rainy day did not stop her from signing over a hundred copies.

In the Singerie of Chantilly the wonderful Meissen porcelain

Chantilly is at the top of lunch conversations this week with its curator Mathieu Deldicque having found, in an obscure auction catalog, the two lacquered Japanese 18 th century cabinets which were stolen from the castle in 1975. The two pieces had a label mentioning “Orléans house” and proved that Duc d’Aumale had taken them to England during his exile. They were being sold in Doullens (pop 6 000) by an antique dealer from Rouen. They will be exhibited in the show on Meissen and Chantilly porcelains which lasts until August 29.

Everyone hopes that in the fall, Les Journées des Plantes will resume normally in Chantilly

In the meantime we learn that the general manager of Chantilly, Christophe Tardieu, is leaving on June 1st after he was offered a job at France Télévision. Who will replace him is the great question and the Chancellor of the Institut, Xavier Darcos, is interviewing prestigious candidates. I know who the right choice would be but will only tell you when it is official.

Chateau de Rambouillet is an hour south west of Paris

And to remain in princely castles, Château de Rambouillet will have a new general manager in August when Isabelle de Gourcuff moves there from Fontainebleau where she was administrateur général. After working at Château de Pierrefonds, at Chambord and the Conciergerie in Paris, she will put Rambouillet on the map again.

It was traditionally the hunting grounds for the Kings of France and remained that until recently for French Presidents. I have to admit, I have never been but will go to the opening of “Vivre à l’Antique from Marie Antoinette to Napoleon 1” at the end of the month…

This charming portrait by Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun, (maybe a self portrait) found in Austria, est. 80 000 to 120.000 € will be sold at Christie’s on June 16 and could have been part of the exhibition in Rambouillet

The show will exhibit all the fascinations of travellers on the Grand Tour who, after Herculanum was discovered in 1709 and Pompei in 1748, came back with a special taste for anything which was inspired by the Antiquity. The exhibition is open until August 9.

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2 Comments on “Books, more books and lunch gossips”

  1. LES HEUREUX DU MONDE
    un titre qui fait rever.
    On attend ce livre avec grande impatience.
    On en a tous besoin.

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