The

Crillon room at the MET Museum.

The room was originally at the Hotel the Crillon 10 Pace de la Conconrde- in Paris and was
designed by Pierre-Adrien Paris (circa 1777-1780). It was probably meant to be a woman's
private sitting room or salon (boudoir). The delicate beauty and exquisite refinement of the
room points us to Louis XVI style.

Inspired by the discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum, and thus ancient classical civilizations
of Rome and Greece, and also partially on the basis of Jean-Jacques Rousseaus idea of natural
goodness, a new form of design (Neo-Classical) came to replace the Rococo.

The Crillon room is a perfect example of Louis XVI period: emphasis on straight lines and right
angles, with a more logical design (opposite to the curves and movement we could find in the
previous Louis styles). Painted boiserie with rectangular panels. The motives resembled the
arabesques used in the Italian Renaissance and before that in ancient Rome, like for example in
Pompeian villas.

The straight legs of the day bed, the armchair (bergre) and the chair, are inspired in classical
Greek Ionic columns. We can also see Egyptian iconography in the armrest and the uprights
where busts of Egyptians maidens are carved.

The room appears balanced and symmetric, and the colors tend toward the pastels with
prevalence of neutrals, again a difference from the previous eras. The use of the same brocade
silk for all the furniture (en suite), as well as the smaller and quitter motives enhances the
balance of the room.

Marie Antoinette had a considerable influence in French decorative arts. She had a weakness for
mechanical furniture of which we can find one example in in the Crillion room. The desk is made
of mahogany (precious wood very used in the period) with delicate marquetery and gilded floral
carvings.

Although the use of oil lamps increased during this period, candles remain the main source of
artificial light and that is why we can find in the room not only a big pending chandelier, but also
a silver candelabra. The use of several large mirrors helped to multiply the light, and it was also
a sign of distinction.

For the flooring we can see the selection of Versailles pattern wood floor and a carpet, again
with subtle motives and colors. Furniture, as it was customary at the time, is placed against the
wall.

The overall style of the Crillon room is definitely delicate -even feminine- and harmonious.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Boger, L. A. (1969). The complete guide to Furniture styles (2nd ed.) New York: Macmillan.

Fraser, A. (2001). Marie Antoinette: The journey. New York: Talese/Doubleday.

Harwood, B., May, B., & Sherman, C. (2002). Architecture and interior design through the 18th
century (1st ed.). Upper Saddle River (N.J.): Prentice Hall.

Koda, H. (2007). Dangerous liaisons: fashion and furniture in the eighteenth century (1st ed.).
New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Peck, A. (2004). Period rooms in the metropolitan museum of art (1st ed.). New York:
Metropolitan Mus Of Art.