Project

The conservation mission to restore Hôtel Talleyrand was launched in 1999 by the US Department of State under the direction of the US Ambassador to France. WMF joined in the conservation effort and successfully implemented the final phase of work from the summer of 2003 until the fall of 2006. The campaign focused on a suite of ten rooms named the George C. (...)

The conservation mission to restore Hôtel Talleyrand was launched in 1999 by the US Department of State under the direction of the US Ambassador to France. WMF joined in the conservation effort and successfully implemented the final phase of work from the summer of 2003 until the fall of 2006. The campaign focused on a suite of ten rooms named the George C. Marshall Center in 1985 by the State Department. Many of the most significant interventions occurred in the Grand Reception Room and the State Office. An extensive study of the decorative schemes was undertaken and analysis was completed on traces of color samples taken to determine the original colors of each room. These studies resulted in the identification of an 18th-century glue-based gray paint as the original color layer, and a contemporary replica of this paint was introduced into the rooms, bringing the original decorative scheme to life once again. Interior decorative surfaces were cleaned, wood paneling and ornamental features were restored, reconstitution of original gilded and painted finishes was completed, and the stucco ceilings and decorative plasterwork were renewed. Although many of the decorative elements of the State apartments remain in situ, the main fireplace, relocated under the direction of the Rothschilds, was returned to its original location between the Grand Reception Room and the State Office. The two doors originally flanking the hearth were also recreated, reestablishing the original architectural layout.