Gustave Caillebotte les raboteurs

Gustave Caillebotte, the ‘other’ Impressionist

Gustave Caillebotte – the ‘other’ Impressionist   Time for a cultural interlude, with some bucolic charm thrown in. Last weekend, I visited the country home of Impressionist painter, Gustave Caillebotte – and it’s a jewel. Set in its own rolling park, the house is elegant, yet the decor is oddly anachronistic. That’s because much of…

divine style french antiques johnston & vieillard 1850s faience comport 1

Dragons and pagodas from Bordeaux

Dragons and pagodas – Johnston et Vieillard Bordeaux   This Johnston et Vieillard porcelain dinnerware is a survivor from the days when ladies wore crinolines, and dinner tables groaned under the weight of china, crystal, silverware and delicacies. It’s from the ‘Tonkin’ service, and was made in the 1850s, during the Second Empire. It’s beautifully…