This monograph dedicated to the most spectacular example of Parisian First Empire interior architecture retraces the history of the building and the lives of its residents. The Hôtel de Beauharnais, constructed in 1713, gained renown during the Consulate period. In 1803, Josephine Bonaparte acquired the property for her son, Eugène de Beauharnais, and had the building renovated and decorated at great expense. At the fall of the Napoleonic Empire, it was sold to the King of Prussia and became an embassy during the nineteenth century. With its unique Consulate and Empire decor, the palace is an invaluable specimen of Parisian interior architecture. The result of more than ten years of research and restoration work, this book recounts three centuries of European political history through the lives of the Hôtel’s successive owners.

About The Author

Art historian Ulrich Leben is the consultant for furniture and interiors restoration at Beauharnais. Jörg Ebeling is director of research at the Centre Allemand d’Histoire de l’Art and renovation consultant at Beauharnais. Francis Hammond’s photographs have appeared in numerous books including Historic Houses of Paris and Private Houses of France.