Boudoir from the Hôtel de Crillon 1772 - 1785

Pierre-Adrien Paris designed this boudoir for the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris. It offers us a glimpse into the private lives of the French aristocracy just before the Revolution. As a space, the boudoir was a retreat for wealthy women, a place of intimacy and self-expression away from the formal, public life of the court. The room’s soft colors and ornate details speak to the feminine ideals of the era, but don’t let the decor fool you – it was also a space where women wielded considerable social and political influence. Consider the mirrors, which amplify the occupant's presence, turning the act of self-regard into a statement of power. The exquisite craftsmanship and luxurious materials also reflect the vast economic disparities of pre-revolutionary France. This room encapsulates the complex interplay between gender, class, and power that defined the era. How might this space have felt to those excluded from it?