Met exhibition review
Exhibition Schedule: A Permanent exhibit of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century art at Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York Gallery 526 – Parroom is about the decorative arts of eighteenth-century France and is astonishingly beautiful. The room as a whole keeps you captivated, and you take some time to take in the fine collections of French decorative arts, the different objects, and furnishings on display. It is like you have entered a different era. The Parroom is spacious and with oak flooring and walls plastered in a soft blue hue. There is a feel of richness in the room. There are displays of silver, Sèvres porcelain, Savonnerie carpets, furniture and gold boxes. The paneling in this gallery shows the influence of French eighteenth-century styles 1 and shows triple moldings enriched with foliate, motifs and flowers. The displayed carpet is one of the famous Savonnerie carpets created for the Louvre Palace during the late seventeenth century. Use of Silver in the decorative arts was a sign of wealth and status. The furniture in the room is one of the most beautiful and displays highest level of artistic ability. When you look at the chairs closely, they are made of natural wood and upholstered with silk and fine trimming. The furniture consists of both side and armchairs plus carries elaborate ornamentation and high level of specialization. The red upholstered armchair belonged to Louise-Élisabeth, who was the eldest daughter of Louis XV. The splendid wall clock in gilt bronze shows the expertise of French clockmakers who were known for their superb workmanship in the eighteenth century. Another interesting display in the Parroom is a Dog kennel by Claude I Sené 2 created for Marie-Antoinette. The French-style paneled room not only takes you back in time but also educates you about the splendor of French art and decorative elements from late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Gallery 526 – Parroom especially deserves to be seen for its interior settings that speak of the glories of the French-style paneled rooms.
____________________1 "Gallery 526 - French Decorative Arts: Paar Room." met museum(Feb 8, 2016). http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/museum-map/galleries/european-sculpture-and-decorative-arts/52621 "Gallery 526 - French Decorative Arts: Paar Room." met museum(Feb 8, 2016). http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/museum-map/galleries/european-sculpture-and-decorative-arts/526
BIBLIOGRAPHY
"Gallery 526 - French Decorative Arts: Paar Room." met museum(Feb 8, 2016). http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/museum-map/galleries/european-sculpture-and-decorative- arts/526
