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THE DECORATION OF HOUSES




     Charles Scribner's
     Sons
     New York
     1914

     The
     Decoration of
     Houses

     By

     Edith Wharton
     and
     Ogden Codman Jr.




Copyright, 1897, by CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS




"_Une forme doit etre belle en elle-meme et on ne doit jamais compter
sur le decor applique pour en sauver les imperfections._"

     HENRI MAYEUX: _La Composition Decorative_.




TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                              PAGE
          INTRODUCTION                                         xix

     I    THE HISTORICAL TRADITION                               1

     II   ROOMS IN GENERAL                                      17

     III  WALLS                                                 31

     IV   DOORS                                                 48

     V    WINDOWS                                               64

     VI   FIREPLACES                                            74

     VII  CEILINGS AND FLOORS                                   89

     VIII ENTRANCE AND VESTIBULE                               103

     IX   HALL AND STAIRS                                      106

     X    THE DRAWING-ROOM, BOUDOIR, AND MORNING-ROOM          122

     XI   GALA ROOMS: BALL-ROOM, SALOON, MUSIC-ROOM, GALLERY   134

     XII  THE LIBRARY, SMOKING-ROOM, AND "DEN"                 145

     XIII THE DINING-ROOM                                      155

     XIV  BEDROOMS                                             162

     XV   THE SCHOOL-ROOM AND NURSERIES                        173

     XVI  BRIC-A-BRAC                                          184

          CONCLUSION                                           196

          INDEX                                                199




LIST OF PLATES


                                                       FACING PAGE

     I      ITALIAN GOTHIC CHEST                                 1

     II     FRENCH ARM-CHAIRS, XV AND XVI CENTURIES              6

     III    FRENCH _Armoire_, XVI CENTURY                       10

     IV     FRENCH SOFA AND ARM-CHAIR, LOUIS XIV PERIOD         12

     V      ROOM IN THE GRAND TRIANON, VERSAILLES               14

     VI     FRENCH ARM-CHAIR, LOUIS XV PERIOD                   16

     VII    FRENCH _Bergere_, LOUIS XVI PERIOD                  20

     VIII   FRENCH _Bergere_, LOUIS XVI PERIOD                  24

     IX     FRENCH SOFA, LOUIS XV PERIOD                        28

     X      FRENCH MARQUETRY TABLE, LOUIS XVI PERIOD            30

     XI     DRAWING-ROOM, HOUSE IN BERKELEY SQUARE, LONDON      34

     XII    ROOM IN THE VILLA VERTEMATI                         38

     XIII   DRAWING-ROOM AT EASTON NESTON HALL                  42

     XIV    DOORWAY, DUCAL PALACE, MANTUA                       48

     XV     SALA DEI CAVALLI, PALAZZO DEL T                     54

     XVI    DOOR IN THE SALA DELLO ZODIACO, DUCAL PALACE,
            MANTUA                                              58

     XVII   EXAMPLES OF MODERN FRENCH LOCKSMITHS' WORK          60

     XVIII  CARVED DOOR, PALACE OF VERSAILLES                   62

     XIX    SALON DES MALACHITES, GRAND TRIANON, VERSAILLES     68

     XX     MANTELPIECE, DUCAL PALACE, URBINO                   74

     XXI    MANTELPIECE, VILLA GIACOMELLI                       78

     XXII   FRENCH FIRE-SCREEN, LOUIS XIV PERIOD                86

     XXIII  CARVED WOODEN CEILING, VILLA VERTEMATI              90

     XXIV   CEILING IN PALAIS DE JUSTICE, RENNES                92

     XXV    CEILING OF THE SALA DEGLI SPOSI, DUCAL PALACE,
            MANTUA                                              96

     XXVI   CEILING IN THE STYLE OF BERAIN                     100

     XXVII  CEILING IN THE CHATEAU OF CHANTILLY                102

     XXVIII ANTECHAMBER, VILLA CAMBIASO, GENOA                 104

     XXIX   ANTECHAMBER, DURAZZO PALACE, GENOA                 106

     XXX    STAIRCASE, PARODI PALACE, GENOA                    108

     XXXI   STAIRCASE, HOTEL DE VILLE, NANCY                   112

     XXXII  STAIRCASE, PALACE OF FONTAINEBLEAU                 116

     XXXIII FRENCH _Armoire_, LOUIS XIV PERIOD                 120

     XXXIV  SALA DELLA MADDALENA, ROYAL PALACE, GENOA          122

     XXXV   CONSOLE IN PETIT TRIANON, VERSAILLES               124

     XXXVI  SALON, PALACE OF FONTAINEBLEAU                     126

     XXXVII ROOM IN THE PALACE OF FONTAINEBLEAU                128

     XXXVIII _Lit de Repos_, EARLY LOUIS XV PERIOD             130

     XXXIX  _Lit de Repos_, LOUIS XV PERIOD                    130

     XL     PAINTED WALL-PANEL AND DOOR, CHANTILLY             132

     XLI    FRENCH BOUDOIR, LOUIS XVI PERIOD                   132

     XLII   _Salon a l'italienne_                              136

     XLIII  BALL-ROOM, ROYAL PALACE, GENOA                     138

     XLIV   SALOON, VILLA VERTEMATI                            140

     XLV    SALA DELLO ZODIACO, DUCAL PALACE, MANTUA           140

     XLVI   FRENCH TABLE, TRANSITION BETWEEN LOUIS XIV AND
            LOUIS XV PERIODS                                   142

     XLVII  LIBRARY OF LOUIS XVI, PALACE OF VERSAILLES         144

     XLVIII SMALL LIBRARY, AUDLEY END                          146

     XLIX   FRENCH WRITING-CHAIR, LOUIS XV PERIOD              150

     L      DINING-ROOM, PALACE OF COMPIEGNE                   154

     LI     DINING-ROOM FOUNTAIN, PALACE OF FONTAINEBLEAU      156

     LII    FRENCH DINING-CHAIR, LOUIS XIV PERIOD              158

     LIII   FRENCH DINING-CHAIR, LOUIS XVI PERIOD              158

     LIV    BEDROOM, PALACE OF FONTAINEBLEAU                   162

     LV     BATH-ROOM, PITTI PALACE, FLORENCE                  168

     LVI    BRONZE ANDIRON, XVI CENTURY                        184




BOOKS CONSULTED


FRENCH

     ANDROUET DU CERCEAU, JACQUES.

     Les Plus Excellents Batiments de France. _Paris, 1607._

     LE MUET, PIERRE.

     Maniere de Bien Batir pour toutes sortes de Personnes.

     OPPENORD, GILLES MARIE.

     Oeuvres. _1750._

     MARIETTE, PIERRE JEAN.

     L'Architecture Francoise. _1727._

     BRISEUX, CHARLES ETIENNE.

     L'Art de Batir les Maisons de Campagne. _Paris, 1743._

     LALONDE, FRANCOIS RICHARD DE.

     Recueil de ses Oeuvres.

     AVILER, C. A. D'.

     Cours d'Architecture. _1760._

     BLONDEL, JACQUES FRANCOIS.

     Architecture Francoise. _Paris, 1752._

     Cours d'Architecture. _Paris, 1771-77._

     De la Distribution des Maisons de Plaisance et de la
     Decoration des Edifices. _Paris, 1737._

     ROUBO, A. J., FILS.

     L'Art du Menuisier.

     HERE DE CORNY, EMMANUEL.

     Recueil des Plans, Elevations et Coupes des Chateaux,
     Jardins et Dependances que le Roi de Pologne occupe en
     Lorraine. _Paris, n. d._

     PERCIER ET FONTAINE.

     Choix des plus Celebres Maisons de Plaisance de Rome et de
     ses Environs. _Paris, 1809._

     Palais, Maisons, et autres Edifices Modernes dessines a
     Rome. _Paris, 1798._

     Residences des Souverains. _Paris, 1833._

     KRAFFT ET RANSONNETTE.

     Plans, Coupes, et Elevations des plus belles Maisons et
     Hotels construits a Paris et dans les Environs. _Paris,
     1801._

     DURAND, JEAN NICOLAS LOUIS.

     Recueil et Parallele des Edifices de tout Genre. _Paris,
     1800._

     Precis des Lecons d'Architecture donnees a l'Ecole Royale
     Polytechnique. _Paris, 1823._

     QUATREMERE DE QUINCY, A. C.

     Histoire de la Vie et des Ouvrages des plus Celebres
     Architectes du XIe siecle jusqu'a la fin du XVIII siecle.
     _Paris, 1830._

     PELLASSY DE L'OUSLE.

     Histoire du Palais de Compiegne. _Paris, n. d._

     LETAROUILLY, PAUL MARIE.

     Edifices de Rome Moderne. _Paris, 1825-57._

     RAMEE, DANIEL.

     Histoire Generale de l'Architecture. _Paris, 1862._

     Meubles Religieux et Civils Conserves dans les principaux
     Monuments et Musees de l'Europe.

     VIOLLET LE D