At its zenith in the 18th century, any self-respecting noble and aristocrat in Europe escaped the suffocating heat of their main house during the summer months by building a fashionable grotto with a fountain and dripping with seashell decoration … floor, ceiling, walls and even furniture. The technique, coquillage, can today be seen in the grottoes at Hampton Court, the Chateau de Rambouillet and the Palazzo Borromeo on Isola Bella amongst many.
Fast forward to the 21st century where today a very creative and talented Swiss-born, Paris-based artist Thomas Boog is applying the intricate shell techniques to his designs. I’m drooling!
Take these mirrors. They’re remarkable! And don’t think they only rock in a beach house. They’d kill a powder room, bedroom, entrance hall or bathroom in any city. I’ve seen them first hand. They’re THAT amazing.
image credits: Maison Gerard, New York, who represents the artist in the U.S.A.
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