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Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Jeanne-Françoise Julie Adélaïde Bernard Récamier


Jeanne-Françoise Julie Adélaïde Bernard Récamier ( December 4 , 1777 – May 11, 1849 ) was a Frenchwoman who was a leader of the literary and political circles of the early 19th century.
Born in Lyon, France Lyon, and known as Juliette, she was married at fifteen to
Jacques Récamier (d. 1830), a rich banker more than 30 years her senior. At the time, it was said that he was in fact her natural father who married her to make her his heir.
She gave her name to a famous kind of sofa called the récamier after her and her habit to lie in one. And I believe she really could carry it off. She was quite lovely to look at, and reclining in that way must have only added to her attractiveness. She once had a thing with Lucien Bonaparte, as suspicion goes. (Lucien was a younger brother of Joseph and Napoleon Bonaparte )
Juliette Récamier died in 1849 at the age of 71 and was buried in the Cimetiere de Montmartre in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris



above - just like my grandmothers


To have something like one of these placed in a sitting area of a bedroom or living room would add so much to a room. My grandmother had one on one side of her living room. Even if you were shooting for contemporary, it would be like an accessory. A painting or vintage poster. Now I know that people doing contemporary rooms often buy the vintage posters ( which are great ) and the reason they do that is to give the room some relief, a rest, a break from all the clean lines and plainness that can happen. It really is a piece of history, and remember that a unique appointment in a finished room is all you will ever need for an ice breaker, a conversation maker at a any gathering.

This sofa really has ' bones!'
Don't you think?

i originally posted this back in 2008

Jeanne-Françoise Julie Adélaïde Bernard Récamier ,fainting couches , 

12 comments:

  1. Suzanne Rheinstein has a beautiful one in her living room. Similar to the picture you showed - fifth picture down. It's gorgeous too! great post!!!

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  2. Renee I think all are so lovely as was Juliette. I would love the one in the first photo. I could very much see it in a contemporary setting. If I had a piece of furniture named after me it would have to be the 'big boy' recliner! I hope you have a good Monday and are doing something fun for yourself?

    Love ya,
    Deb

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  3. deb
    .....fun ....no
    just trying to get my self caught up with life
    xxx

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  4. She is lovely, and your Grandmother had the Empire tables to go with the sofa. I love where she is buried, been walking through there.
    Mama Xxx

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  5. I have owned a lot of bits of furniture over the years but I have never had the good fortune to own one of these....goodness knows what a freenzy of change one would bring to my livingroom LOL!
    Great post.

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  6. la petite,
    i can always depend on you for a morbid walk through the tulips.

    xx

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  7. concrete....

    they are fantastic.
    i am glad you appreciated this post.
    xx

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  8. What a sad story for a lady so beautiful.

    No wonder she had to lie about all day on one of these fabulous pieces.

    Agree. an unexpected touch of antiquity can add the zing and sparkle to a room, and to a conversation too!

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  9. Anonymous02:40

    I like them and her. pure beauty. classic. interesting post. thanks.

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  10. Great history! She's lovely and so does the chair! Enjoy the fabulous day, Kellie xx

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  11. blue,
    it's true....
    a fabulous antique does wonders for a contemporary room.
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh I do love these....I could 'faint' on one after one of my long bike rides! :)
    xo

    ReplyDelete


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About Renée Finberg

I have been in this business since the age of 22.

I love what I do and cannot imagine my life without Design.

Design Challenges are great.

And because of those challenges

I have imported fine antique pieces from Paris,

Designed and Manufactured Furniture,

Created Fantastic Window Treatments,

And solved all kinds of spatial & architectural issues

With my unique style.

If I can't find it, I create it.

My rooms would make excellent movie sets.

I am a visual, tactile and audio sensitive individual.

Creating is what I live for, not math, not spelling, not science.

Just Great Design.

Just imagine how it would be if each of us,

If only for a few hours of everyday,We could be in a space that is our very own.A place that is exactly the way we want it to be

Surrounded by all the things we wanted to see,

The atmosphere we wanted feel, smell and the sound we wanted to listen to.

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