To mark the bicentenary of the death of Josephine, wife of Napoleon 1st, and a great collector of fabrics, the Paris showroom of the Prelle Manufacturers presents “Josephine, la Passion des étoffes” from 24 October 2014 to 20 February 2015.
At a moment in which Napoleon was promoting the textile industries, Empress Josephine herself was instrumental in the the promotion of this symbolic category of the Industrial Arts. The sophistication and diversity of her tastes made her one of the most stylish women of the “Directoire” and Josephine would not hesitate to exercise her influence upon her husband.
The taste for luxury and the promotion of textile industries would also be manifest in the restoration and decoration of the National Palaces – the job was entrusted to Percier and Fontaine, whose choices were radically different from Josephine's antique dressing style. Floral and Greco-Roman motifs, upholstery becomes rich in detail and vibrant colours, reflecting the taste of the 1st Empire for refinement and opulence. The Prelle manufacture is showing, in relation to the collection of dresses, a selection of borders from its historical archives.
On this occasion, the Commissioner Bernard Chevallier, honorary heritage curator and former director of the Musée National du Château de Malmaison and of the Chateau de Bois-Préau, will present his latest book: “Joséphine, Impératrice”, published by Editions du Chêne.
Showroom PRELLE
5 place des Victoires
75001 Paris
France
Tél. : +33 1 42 36 67 21
website
Langue(s) : French