IN PICTURES

Date: 1800

Place:Rueil-Malmaison, Musée national des châteaux de Malmaison et de Bois-Préau

Subjects: Consulate, Decorative arts, Malmaison (château of)

Key words: furniture, furnishings, trophies, tent, armshairs, chairs, stools, curule chair, Jacob

Credits: RMN

Notes:

During the Consulate, the increased frequency of ministerial meetings at Malmaison led to the creation of a 'Salle du Conseil', and the roome was furnished in ten days by the architect Fontaine. "The arrangement and decoration had to be completed in ten working days because it was not thought right to interupt the frequent journeys which he [Bonaparte] was wont to undertake; [...]it was considered appropriate to adopt [...] the form of a tent supported by pikes, fasces and standards, between which were hung ensembles of arms recalling the most famous warlike peoples of the globe". Percier and Fontaine, Recueil de décorations intérieures.