"Marjorie Merriweather Post (1887-1973) became a discerning collector of French eighteenth-century furniture in the early 1920s. At Hillwood, her residence in Washington D.C., Mrs. Post displayed her furniture together with her other Russian and French decorative objects, in a uniquely grand manner.".

"This book explores the main factors that contributed to the high level of artistic achievement in cabinetry and joinery in eighteenth-century France. In artistic terms, the development of furniture in the eighteenth century was intimately linked to changes in domestic architecture and to the emergence of a variety of small, private spaces in addition to the ceremonial rooms traditional in houses of distinction.

The appearance of less formal spaces was tied to a growing desire for a lifestyle on the fringes of protocol and officialdom. In furniture terms, these factors translated into the creation of more comfortable pieces in an astonishing variety of shapes. The exquisite craftsmanship of most Parisian furniture of the eighteenth century catered to the demands of a highly sophisticated society that became recognized throughout Europe as the undisputed leader in matters of art and design.".

"Mrs. Post's collection at Hillwood vividly serves to illustrate these points. It includes paintings, porcelain from Sevres and the Russian Imperial Porcelain factory, and objects d'art by Faberge and Cartier. The collection also features icons and a wide array of other French and Russian decorative arts of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries."--BOOK JACKET.