The Turkish Boudoir was designed for Marie-Antoinette in 1777 under the plans of architect Michard Mique. It was decorated by the Rousseau brothers before being redecorated with pieces by Jacob-Desmalter and adorned with precious fabrics for Empress Josephine in the First Empire. Alcove, mirrors, pulley-driven curtains… this exceptional collection has undergone a major restoration project thanks to the support from the INSEAD and with the generosity of members from the ‘Des Mécènes Pour Fontainebleau’ (Sponsors for Fontainebleau) organisation.
The focal point of the restoration was its elegant and exotic painted décors in addition to the rare gilded-woven upholstery furniture.
Marie-Antoinette and Josephine’s Turkish Boudoir
L’INSEAD: Main Sponsor
The INSTEAD was itself founded within the walls of the castle in 1957 and has become a regular partner ever since. Thanks to a €324,000 sponsorship donation, this prestigious business school and its Fontainebleau campus has made it possible to restore the painted décors along with the boudoir’s room partitions and mirrors.
‘Des Mécènes Pour Fontainebleau’: An Incredible Campaign
During the European Heritage Days and the Biennale des Antiquaires that took place between 7th to 29th September 2012, an unprecedented sponsorship programme was launched to restore the Turkish Boudoir’s furniture.
The Château de Fontainebleau put this furniture on display opposite the Élysée Palace in the heart of Paris with the aim of securing sponsors. Thanks to kind generosity of the Galerie Aveline where the original layout and décor of the room were reconstructed, the public was able to see Marie-Antoinette's Turkish boudoir in all its splendour.
‘Des Mécènes Pour Fontainebleau’ managed to raise €370,000.
GRoW Annenberg-Regina and Gregory Annenberg Weingarten, Los Angeles
Artefact Decoration – Brigitte Saby, Paris
Art Culture Studio SA, Geneva
Art Transit International, Paris
Galerie Aveline – Jean-Marie Rossi, Paris
Decour Décoration, Paris
Mr and Mrs Antoine Delon, Paris
Eeckman Art & Insurance, Brussels
Édition Faton, Dijon
Windi & Davis Grimes, Houston
Guerlain, Paris
Mr and Mrs Hubert Guerrand-Hermès Estoril
Monsieur Xavier Guerrand-Hermès, Marrakesh
Banque Jean-Philippe Hottinguer & Cie, Paris
Banque JCE Hottinger, Zurich
Moët Hennessy, Paris
Mr Yves Bouvier, Geneve
Juan Pablo Molyneux Studio LTD, Paris
Galerie Neuse, Achim Neuse et Volker Wurster, Brême
Messieurs Giles Ellwood et Philippe Sacerdot, London
Mr and Mrs Daniel Thullier, Lille
Vhernier, Paris
Mr Franz Wassmer, Paris
Friends of the Château of Fontainebleau
Mr Christian Baulez
Mr Stéphane Bern – Gotha Conseil, Paris
Mrs Valérie Cerbourg-Renault
Fondation Napoléon, Paris
Mr and Mrs Edouard de Lencquesaing
Galerie Charles Ratton et Guy Ladrière, Paris
Mr and Mrs Odile-Marie et Louis-Claude Martin
Sotheby’s France, Paris
Mr Olivier Obst
Mr Julien Baubigeat – Mr Laurent Bazy – Mrs Anne-Marie Berthoud – Mr Jérôme Boucomont Bourgogne Développement Industrie – Mr and Mrs Peter Boyles – Mrs Nicole Carpentier – Mr Serge Carreira – Mr Philippe Degueldre – Didier Aaron et Cie – Mr Frédéric Dutertre – Mrs Frédérique Fauvel Mr Pascal-Jean Fournier – Mr Romain Goumy-Arcouet – Mr Eric Gross – Mrs Françoise Guerlesquin Mr Stanislas Herbin – Mrs Colette Hua-Delarue – Mr William Iselin – Ms Guénaëlle Jouan Madame Marie-des-Fleurs Lanneau – Mrs Cornélie Lemasson – Mr Joël Le Carpentier – Mr Jean-Pierre Limet Monsieur et Mrs Stéphane et Viviane Gruber-Magitot – Mr Jean-Baptiste Massignon – Mrs Monique Monnet Mr Jean-François Moueix – Mrs Chieko Murata – Mr and Mrs Michel Paillard – Mr Pierre Patoux Mrs Alicia Pic – Mr and Mrs Michel Pucci – Mr Antonio Redondo – Mr and Mrs Rémi Rouquette -Mr and Mrs Laurent and Véronique de Simone – Mr Jean-Yves Verd’hurt – Mr and Mrs Bruno Verlet
