Placed under the burning logs, andirons, or firedogs, allow the air to circulate under the wood and to fan the flames. An andiron consists of an iron bar on which the logs are placed, and a decorative head. In French, they are called “chenets”, a noun coming from the word “dog”, that refers to the […]
Category: Technics

Gilding
Practiced since Antiquity and synonymous with a certain luxury, as Louis XIV will demonstrate with the sumptuous decorations of the Palace of Versailles, gilding is a technique to cover wood, metal, glass, ceramic, stone or marble with gold. There are as much techniques of gilding as materials able to receive it. The gilding on wood, […]

Spelter (or zinc)
Today, the art market calls "spelter" (French : régule) both the zinc, whose low cost contributed to the popularization of the sculpture and which was used during the 19th century for the production of sculptures and works of art, and the real spelter which appears at the end of this century and which is an alloy […]
Exhibition at the Marc Maison Gallery: «The magic of a kaolin bouquet » A collection of furniture pieces and works of art decorated with Julien-Nicolas Rivart’s rare porcelain inlays, between 1850 and 1867.
Once again immersing us in the world of the Universal Exhibitions, the Marc Maison Gallery displays its large collection of works by Julien-Nicolas Rivart, of twenty-four unique pieces, all decorated with his porcelain flowers. From sumptuous “bureau plat” to the document folders, these rare luxury items will be offered to the amateurs’ eyes, from May […]
Versailles parquet floor
Embellishing the floors of the illustrious Palace of Versailles, and conceived for it circa 1684, the Versailles parquet floor ("Parquet de Versailles") is one of the first parquet flooring that we know of. These panels revolutionize the floor styles, bringing them an elegance beyond comparison to the former pavings, and providing moreover a better comfort. […]