E-24: French Salon of the Louis XVI Period, c. 1780

Curatorial Overview

“Mrs. Thorne designed this interior “entirely in the spirit of Marie Antoinette—dainty in coloring and full of her symbols of design.” The queen was fond of roses, which were often incorporated into the molded decorations of swags, garlands, and baskets in rooms such as this one. The garden tools and musical instruments in the carvings of the panel heads represent her love of nature and music. Speaking of the Petit Trianon, whose private rooms inspired this salon, Mrs. Thorne wrote, “Nothing could be more chaste, more restrained. This was Marie Antoinatte's favorite retreat and it is here that I always feel her shadow.””