"Secrecy is the first essential in affairs of state"
CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU
Wednesday, 8 January 2014
Claudine Alexandrine Guerin de Tencin, Baronne de Saint-Martin-de-Ré
Claudine Alexandrine was born in Grenoble on 27 April 1682 as the daughter of the Parlement's president. She spent her childhood in a convent - like most other of the upper class' ladies - and her parents wished for her to become a nun. After a while though Claudine Alexandrine tired of life at the convent and gained permission from Pope Clement XI to put down the veil again. Already, at this time she had been the source of gossip and it was said that she had had an affair with an Irish soldier.Jewel-Cabinets of the Royal Ladies
Marie Antoinette's jewel cabinet from around 1787 and is now placed in the Queen's bedchamber at Versailles right next to the hidden door she escaped through. Like the cabinet below the gorgeous piece of furniture is made from mahogany.
This jewel-cabinet belonged to the Comtesse de Provence and was procured for her around 1787. Produced by Jean-Henri Riesener but was confiscated during the French revolution in 1793 and consequently sold three years later. Surprisingly enough this piece of furniture does not have the royal mark on it which was otherwise customary.
Tuesday, 7 January 2014
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