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Napoleon III Apartments louvre Museum

Lost in the Louvre: Napoleon III Apartments

Explore the Opulent Napoleon III Apartments, Louvre Museum

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Have you seen such an opulent apartment before? Words are not enough to describe this beautiful specimen of Second Empire style. Where will you find this apartment? In the Louvre Museum of course

Generally an apartment in a metropolitan city is like a matchbox, with little to no artistic interior decor. The Napoleon III Apartments are far from it.

The walls, the ceilings, the chairs are all gilded gold. The upholstery on the chairs as well as the tapestries are a rich velvety red. This room is highlighted further, if that’s possible, by a huge chandelier with diamond teardrop like crystals.

It is certainly overwhelming to take it all in.

This extravagance is called Napoleon III style or the Second Empire style.

Who was Napoleon III?

Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte was first the President and then the King of the French in the 19th century.

His reign was called the ’Second Empire’ Style. Napoleon came up with a major renovation plan for Paris. And with the revamp came the Second Empire style or Napoleon III style.

The most accessible place to see this style is in a gallery in the Richelieu wing of the Louvre Museum in Paris.

The red tapestries and gilded gold walls I previously described belong to this ‘apartment’.

State Drawing Room

The State Drawing Room has expensive chairs and indescret. And like capping off this grandeur is an equally beautiful fresco made by Charles-Raphaël Maréchal.

The State Drawing Room leads to the State Dining Room, yet another masterpiece.

State Dining Room

Flattering chandeliers hang from the ceiling right above an equally grand dining table.

In contrast to the red, the walls are panelled in black and gold in the Dining Room. This combination with the chandeliers looks classic. Don’t you think so?

The Royal Bedchamber

The Royal bed is the main highlight of this room. This room is gilded in gold too. Imagine sleeping in it. I’m curious, would you be comfortable to live in the Napoleon III Apartments? Comment your thoughts below

As for the bed chamber, to compensate for the gold and give the bedchamber a more enclosed personal look, the bedchamber isn’t as opulent as the first two rooms of the apartment

Are you blinking your eyes trying to get a clear vision from all that blinding glitz? Well I am too!

Luckily we are at the end of the Napoleon III gallery at the Louvre Museum.

Before you go, please share this article with one friend who loves museums.

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