Embassy Decorations: French Art and Diplomacy in the 20th Century

The embassy decorations presented in this work retrace a century of diplomacy and the influence of the French style abroad. They reveal the diplomatic role played by the decorative arts and, in counterpoint, their enrichment through contact with other cultures. From the first Art Nouveau and Art Deco ensembles to the designers working at the end of the century, the most prestigious creators of their time meet on this world tour: Süe and Mare in Warsaw, Francis Jourdain in Kabul, Jean-Michel Frank in Dublin, Jacques Émile Ruhlmann in Tokyo, Jean Dunand in Ankara, Jean Royère in Alexandria and Helsinki or, more recently, Michel Boyer in Brasilia and Jean-Michel Wilmotte in Washington. Throughout these pages, France's little-known heritage abroad is revealed, thanks to often unpublished documents, photographs and drawings which reconstruct its memory.

Text in French only