French (Paris); Made in Paris, France
Oak and plaster, painted and gilded; bronze-gilt, mirror glass, oak flooring, etc.
H. 25 ft. 6 in. (777.2 cm), W. 10 ft. 1/2 in. (306.1 cm), D. 11 ft. 8 1/2 in. (356.9 cm)
Purchase, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wrightsman Gift, 1972 (1972.276.1)
The Hôtel de Cabris in Grasse, from which this room was taken, is now the local archaeological and historical museum. It was built between 1771 and 1774 for Jean Paul de Clapiers, marquis de Cabris, after designs by a little-known Milanese architect, Giovanni Orello. The paneling, dating from 1775–78, was carved, painted, and gilded in Paris, then installed in a small reception room on the main floor. The four pairs of double doors are remarkable for the carved motifs of smoking incense burners, interlaced laurel sprays, and torches, exemplifying the sobriety of the Neoclassical style. The white marble chimneypiece, contemporary with the room, comes from the Hôtel de Greffulhe in Paris.
