A unique glimpse inside a world of luxury, tradition, and splendor. Many historic homes in Paris serve as residences to foreign ambassadors; these historical sites are closed to the general
public. From a seventeenth-century hôtel particulier, to a Belle Epoque palace, to a distinctively contemporary setting, each residence rivals the next in its beauty, art collection, and period
furniture set against a backdrop of accomplished refinement. Alain Stella invites us over the threshold inside the most prestigious chancelleries and ambassador residences in Paris—from China
and Peru to Egypt and Poland. Tapestries inspired by Goya’s drawings grace the lavish salons at the Spanish residence. Jean Prouvé and Charlotte Perriand created a minimalist interior at the
Japanese residence that evokes the refined style of a traditional Japanese home. The palace of Eugène de Beauharnais—home to the German ambassadors since 1818—retains its elaborate Empire
style, intact since the time of Josephine. Superb photographs, specially commissioned for this book over the course of a year, divulge the secrets of these previously unpublished artistic and
architectural treasures.
