Happy Holidays!!

The Duché de Coeur wishes everyone the Happiest of Holidays & Best of the New Year to come!!

Queen's Hamlet: The Boudoir

The Boudoir was designed as an extension to The Queen's House and is the smallest building of the Queen's Hamlet. It was used by Marie Antoinette to entertain her closest friends in luxurious privacy.

This SL version uses wallpaper details from Phillipe de Lasalle's Les Perdrix (The Partridges) commissioned in the early 1770s as part of the decoration for a salon in the Palais Bourbon in Paris.

All of the casement windows are fully functional and the smoking chimney can be controlled by a simple touch. A full security system is also included.

View the Decorated Model or see the Rental inworld.

The Boudoir is also available on the SL Marketplace.

The Witches Brew Gridwide Hunt

I'm very excited to be participating in the SL Discovery Witches Brew Gridwide Hunt which runs from October 1, 2009 to October 31, 2009. In total, there are 119 shops to find treasures at. You're looking for a witches cauldron filled with goodies. Hopefully I didn't make mine too hard to find :))
This hunt is circular so you can start at any location and follow it through. Here is my main store Tatiana's Tea Room

Have fun!

L'Amour Comédien Commode

This exquisitely detailed commode was designed for Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette by Joseph Stockel in 1786.

Bronze gilt delicately covers the mahogany while porcelain plaques grace the front (the actors or "comédiens") and sides (a bouquet of flowers). The top is of white marble with a beveled edge.

This luxurious piece is equally at home in an old world chateau or modern apartment.

You can find this piece at my main store or on the SL Marketplace: L'Amour Comédien Commode

Hot Air Ballooning

The first manned hot-air balloon, designed by the Montgolfier brothers , takes off from the Bois de Boulogne, Paris, on November 21, 1783

The first clearly recorded instance of a balloon carrying passengers used hot air to generate buoyancy and was built by the brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier in Annonay, France. These brothers came from a family of paper manufacturers and had noticed ash rising in paper fires. The Montgolfier brothers gave their first public demonstration of their invention on June 4, 1783. After experimenting with unmanned balloons and flights with animals, the first tethered balloon flight with humans on board took place on October 19, 1783 with the scientist Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier, the manufacture manager, Jean-Baptiste Réveillon and Giroud de Villette, at the Folie Titon in Paris. The first free flight with human passengers was on 21 November 1783. King Louis XVI had originally decreed that condemned criminals would be the first pilots, but de Rozier, along with Marquis Francois d'Arlandes, successfully petitioned for the honor. The first hot air balloons were essentially cloth bags (sometimes lined with paper) with a smoky fire built on a grill attached to the bottom. They were susceptible to catching fire, often upon landing, although this occurred infrequently.

Only a few days later, on December 1, 1783, Professor Jacques Charles and Nicholas Louis Robert made the first gas balloon flight, also from Paris. The hydrogen filled balloon flew to almost 2,000 feet (600 m), stayed aloft for over two hours and covered a distance of 27 miles (43 km), landing in the small town of Nesle.

From Wikipedia: History of ballooning

Can you imagine the excitment this must have generated! I do get a chuckle thinking of Louis XVI decreeing test pilots should be condemned criminals. What a great way to make an escape! I also love the connection between hot air balloons and wallpaper as the story of Jean-Baptiste Réveillon reveals. It seems his papier blue d'Angleterre was a favourite of Marie Antoinette's.

Thanks to the work of Harleywan Haggwood, the Duché de Coeur has many hot air balloons available for public use. It's a wonderful way to explore the Duchy especially now that the trees are such vivid autumn colours. Visit le Jardin Francais, Provence Coeur Est2 Hot Air Balloons & Carousel for free rides. Wane's Baroque Balloons are also available for purchase at this location.

Royal Courts of Second Life

Royal Courts of Second Life: A gathering of courtiers from the virtual world of Second Life®.

I'm delighted to report that the social network Royal Courts of Second Life has returned. Originally launched by Elizabeth Cavendish, the site attracted members from many of the historical royal courts operating within Second Life®. With Elizabeth moving on to other adventures, I decided to jump in and recreate the site giving it a bit of a different look and adding some new features. Since its opening on Friday, the site has been growing in leaps & bounds. Many of the old members have returned and new faces are being seen.

One of the most exciting features of this social network is the ability to announce & coordinate upcoming events. This section is open to all members and is a wonderful way to build the community by fostering connections between the various SL courts.

You will see that the forum is divided up into various categories. Some of the categories, like General Discussion, are old standards. Other categories, like Court Etiquette, may prove to be popular. They may also prove to duds and will then be adjusted as we go :)) The Architecture category is already growing; not a surprise considering the fantastic builds that are happening throughout the courts.

Royal Courts of Second Life is open to anyone that has a Second Life® account. I invite you to take a look and see what you think!

Pirate Raid over Normandie

Ahoy, The local Gentry of the Duchy de Coeur desire to be entertained by a race of combat (SPD/TSS) vessels in the waters of Normandie Coeur. All Seaman, Pyrates and Landlubbers who can Captain a ship invited to attend.

~~~~~~~ Captains ~~~~~~~
Captains must come with their own ship and enrol in the race a few minutes minutes before the race starts. Of course, Captains could participate with his usuall crew or enrol some of the assistants to the event at their own discretion.

The race will start in Normandie Coeur East Bay and run through Normandie Couer Harbour. The Captain who scores the highest total of points (100 to the 1st to complete 5 rounds of the course.. 50 to each who completes the course and 10 bonus points for each mine hazard destroyed) will be judged the winner and have the honor of being awarded a trophy by the Duc and Duchesse de Coeur.

Slower vessels proving to be a hazard to navigation of the course may be hastened along by cannon fire as Captains deem fit to engage. Mariners are cautioned that spectators may also fire upon their vessels from ashore in an effort to tip the scales for their favorites. Additionally it is rumored that Normandie waterways may be mined. Vessels which are sunk during the race will be considered beyond repair and disqualified from further competition.

In the event that no vessel remains sufficiently sea worthy to complete 5 rounds of the course the winner will be determined by the last vessel remaining afloat and able to make way.

The race will begin on Sunday Sept 13 th at 8 bells ( Noon SLT). Please do feel free to come and practice the course in advance. Fair winds, following seas and good shooting to all participants.

~~~~~~~ Civilians ~~~~~~~We encourage specially all the residents or friends of the Duchy of Coeur to come and help against this naval attack. We have place around the docks and shores all the cannons that we found ready to use and need your help to shot the ships and sink them all, avoididng a possible terrible raid over our beautiful lands!!!!

The Duc and Duchesse de Coeur will award civilians that show their decision and good aim against the assault forces.


~~~~~~~ Party ~~~~~~~At the end of the event, all people, winners and losers, civilians and seamans, pirates and landlubbers will be invited to participate in a great pirate party in Languedoc Taverne, near the beach, where all together we will finish all the rum and wine that we find in the Duchy's cellars!

Contact Seamus Garbardini & Trasgo Beaumont for further information.

Turn, Turn, Turn

To everything
(Turn, turn, turn)
There is a season
(Turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose
Under Heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together

A time of war, a time of peace
A time to love, a time to hate
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sow
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late.

From the book of Ecclesiastes via Pete Seeger.

Marie Antoinette's personal "en gaulle" and professional "à la rose" guises as painted by Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun.

Oh the Labour Day Weekend!! Not even New Year's Day can rival it as a time of transitions. The summer is all but over as children & young adults head back to school. The days are shorter, the temperature is cooler and those of us that are lucky enough to have taken a summer breather are gearing up for the next foray into our working world.

As usual, I have accomplished about twenty percent of what I had planned to do during my summer break. The house is a bit cleaner, the garden a bit tidier, my health a bit better especially since my stress level is a bit lower. My SL version of le Petit Trianon has grown (but just a bit!) and I'm looking forward to continuing with all of my projects through the fall and winter.

All of this put me in mind of Marie Antoinette and her eventual pursuit of a more private and simple way life. She would retreat to le Petit Trianon, just as we retreat to our cottages or our backyards during a "staycation", to enjoy her gardens and the company of her friends. She abandoned the restrictive court dress and heavy makeup in favour of white muslin gowns and simple straw hats, telling her visitors that "I shall be quite alone so don't dress up; country clothes and the men in frockcoats".

Thanks to two paintings done in 1783 by Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun a visual comparison of the private and public Marie Antoinette is easy to make. Elena Maria Vidal has blogged about both of these portraits and their deeper implications at Chemise à la reine and Marie-Antoinette à la Rose .

I always hope that Marie Antoinette found both joy and peace of mind during her times away from her professional life at court allowing her to return rejuvenated, ready to tackle the mountain of tasks at hand. Come to think of it, that's also my wish for myself! May we all find pleasure in going forward as the wheel turns.

Petit Trianon as Blogged at Vain Inc.

Gaia Laval in a "Robe a l'Anglais" at the Petit Trianon.

I was delighted to discover that Gaia Laval mentioned my work in her blog Robe a l'Anglais (English Dress) over at Vain Inc. It's so exciting to see the Petit Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet through someone else's eyes. And am I ever glad that I took the time to texture the underside of that gueridon nicely :))

Thanks Gaia!!

A Passion for Porcelain

The Louis XV Fontainebleau China Collection - Tatiana's Tea Room SL.

Sevres Porcelain traces its roots in France to early craftsmen who had small manufacturing operations in such places as Lille, Rouen. St. Cloud, and most notably Chantilly. It is from Chantilly that a cadre of workers migrated to the Chateau de Vincennes near Paris to form a larger porcelain manufactory in 1738. French King Louis XV, perhaps inspired by his rumored relationship with mistress Madame de Pompadour, took an intense interest in porcelain and moved the operation in 1756 to even larger quarters in the Paris suburb of Sevres. Sevres was also conveniently near the home of Madame de Pompadour and the King's own Palace at Versailles.

Ultimately, the Sevres Procelain Factory produced items under the name of "Royal" and thus the well-known Sevres Mark was born. King Louis XV even mandated laws that severely restricted other porcelain production in France so as to retain a near monopoly for his Sevres Porcelain. The king even willingly became chief salesman for the finest of his products, hosting an annual New Year's Day showing for French nobility in his private quarters at Versailles. He eagerly circulated among potential buyers, pitching the merits of ownership and policing the occasional light-fingered guest.

From Antique China Porcelain & Collectibles: Sevres Porcelain History

It seems that I am in good company with my "passion for porcelain" since I can include amongst our numbers Louis XV and the lovely Madame de Pompadour. Who would have thought that the King would have been a pitchman for the "finest of his products"!



I had a wonderful time making this SL collection with the delicate rose & gold patterns created by Jean Charles Sioux in 1756 for Sèvres knowing that the RL collection was first used by Louis XV & Madame Pompadour and later by Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette during their stays at Fontainebleau.

The Tea Set includes: tea pot, sugar bowl, creamer, 2 cups w saucers, linen napkin & 3 gold spoons on a gold scalloped serving tray.

It is scripted so that you can select from hot tea (steaming cups), cool tea or empty cups. It also dispenses an animated tea cup that allows you to sip your tea.

The 5 piece place setting, China I, includes: Gold Charger, Large Plate, Small Plate & Soup Bowl w Plate.
You can select from steaming or cool tomato soup, potato soup, pea soup or an empty bowl.

The 6 piece serving set, China II, includes: 4 Large Plates, Oval Dish & Covered Bowl. Look for the 1 & 2 tier cake stands, the plate of Petit Fours that dispenses animated cakes for you to eat and the coordinated Gueridon to display your individual pieces.

The Louis XV Fontainebleau China Collection is sold as individual pieces & in sets at my main store. The sets can also be found on the SL Marketplace: Tea Set, China I, a 5 piece place setting, China I, a 6 piece serving set.

The Queen's Library SL

Marie Antoinette's Salon Doré inspired me to create the Queen's Library Collection in SecondLife.
There are 3 bookcases (1 large, 2 small) panelled with details from Marie Antoinette's lovely Salon Doré in Versailles. These bookcases (1 prim each) line up seamlessly and are also a lot of fun to modify and arrange making many different combinations in a room.



No library would be complete without a place to write your correspondence. The Queen's Library-Writing Desk (8 prims) features a small animated drawer while the Queen's Library Desk Chair (8 prims) contains 1 writing and 2 relaxing poses. There is also a Quill & Ink stand that dispenses a quill to "wear" while you are writing.



The set is rounded out by the Queen's Library Stool (6 prims) covered in the same Madame DuBarry's pink rose fabric as the writing chair. There are 3 poses in this stool as well.

You can find these pieces at my main store or on the SL Marketplace: Large Bookcase, Small Bookcase Right, Small Bookcase Left, Writing Desk, Desk Chair, Stool

Versailles: Marie Antoinette's Private Apartments

Marie Antoinette's Salon Doré one of the four main rooms of her "Petits Appartements" in Versailles.

These small rooms with their concealed doors escaped the surveillance of spies and favoured love affairs and intrigues. To step through the looking-glass, just as Marie Antoinette used to do, is an extraordinary experience. The four main rooms, the Méridienne, the two libraries, the Salon Doré, their boudoirs and their bathrooms provide a perfect image of eighteenth-century France as we imagine it today.

from Private Realm of Marie-Antoinette by Marie-France Boyer & François Halard

Is it any wonder that I have always taken such inspiration from this wonderful suite of rooms designed and created by the finest craftsmen!

Richard Mique the premier architecte to Louis XVI and a favourite of the queen's was given the task of transforming these rooms for her use while the Rousseau brothers, Jules Antoine and Jean Siméon, did the decorative work on the panelling.

The Salon Doré was both the most grand and the most public room in the suite; Neoclassic in style with "Pompeian" motifs and playful cherubs.

The Méridienne, its daybed tucked into a mirrored alcove, was a place for rest and relaxation. Given to Marie Antoinette by Louis XVI in 1782 to celebrate the birth of the Dauphin, this lovely retreat followed the delicate Rococo style.

The green library, with its high ceiling was quite simple in comparison.

In this photo you can see the wonderful "tompe l'oeil" books on the door of the blue library. I'm always amused by the fact that Marie Antoinette also used "faux books" on the shelves to make her libraries more beautiful.



_____________________________________________________________

Versailles: Marie Antoinette's Private Apartments by Tatiana Dokuchic on 2009-08-07
These small rooms with their concealed doors escaped the surveillance of spies and favoured love affairs and intrigues.

Find Tatiana Dokuchic on Google+

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Duché de Coeur: Portraits

Master Artist, Monsieur Trasgo Beaumont hosts the duchy portrait contest!
Journey back in time to the Ville d'Aquitaine where you can wander the streets and view the incredible range of portraits that have been submitted. Vote for your favourite entries.

Prizes were awarded Saturday August 8, 11am SLT.

Grand Prize: Lavender Lady by Aeon Auer

Popular vote: Making plans by Aeon Auer
Master's Pick: Fair Winds and Following Seas by Seamus Gabardini
Duchesses' Pick: Maria by Dawn by MariaLouisa Muircastle

Paris Atelier: Let's Dance!

I swear that I swooned while looking at this wonderful new post by Judith of Paris Atelier.

After the faintness passed, I ran over here to share it with you. If you would like to partake of some delicious eye candy & learn more about this little piece of dance heaven see: Paris Atelier: Let's Dance!

Queen's Hamlet: The Queen's House

Construction began right away. Procrastination was not part of the
agenda. Excitement was. Nevertheless, and not counting some
formidable obstacles, the Anglo-Chinese Garden, started in 1774, would be
completed by 1782.

From Marie-Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles by François Halard

I love to imagine Marie Antoinette and her "Trianon team", Richard Mique, Antoine Richard and Hubert Robert working together to create the botanical wonders of her domaine. I have certainly been thinking of them as I am constantly "adjusting" my own version of The Queen's Hamlet.

Recently I have begun a bit of an update to the residential area. You will see that the Queen's House is now located on its own private isle, surrounded by navigatable water & accented by beautiful flora.



The Queen's House was designed to have a rustic exterior, actually being faux painted and distressed to give it the look of a Norman peasant home. The interior was lavish and beautiful as only a home built for the Queen and her closest friends could be. Its intimate rooms provided for much more comfort than the grand Queen's quarters of Versailles could.

This SL version uses boiserie details from le château de Voré and le château de Compiègne to achieve it's elegant atmosphere, while the kitchen wallpaper is from la maison Bonaparte. All of the casement windows are fully functional and the smoking chimney can be controlled by a simple touch. A full security system and discrete teleport system are also included.

Being "fit for a queen", The Queen's House makes the perfect private residence.

Madame Victoire

One of the best things about recreating historical objects is discovering the rl people and personalities associated with them.

When I stumbled across a wonderful table, decorated in Sèvres porcelain by Martin Carlin, I was curious indeed about its owner Mme Victoire.

Marie Louise Thérèse Victoire de France or Madame Victoire as she was known was the daughter of Louis XV and the aunt of Louis XVI. Born at the Palace of Versailles, she had a front row seat to the splendor of the monarchy and the turmoil of the revolution.

I had read about the "Mesdames Tantes", that group of royal aunts to whom Louis XVI was so devoted, mostly in the context of the cool reception they gave to Marie Antoinette on her arrival in France but now, thanks to a piece of furniture, Mme Victoire stands out as an individual in my mind. As a Daughter of France, I’m sure her life was filled with both luxury and intrigue!

This unique table comes from Madame Victoire's apartments in Versailles. It is adorned with wonderful birds, flowers and landscape scenes on an gilt, ebony background. In this SL version, the addition of a coordinated chair turns it into a writing desk. The chair contains 3 poses (write & 2 relax) and 4 different fabric options that are controlled by a HUD. Touch the chair seat to select the pose, touch the chair back to select the fabric.



You can find both of these pieces at my main store or on XStreet: Madame Victoire's Table and Madame Victoire's Desk Chair .

Château Fleur

Sunrise at Château Fleur

Having worked diligently in the French Garden of the Petit Trianon over the past week (to the point where my rl garden is now extremely jealous), I am delighted to announce the opening of the first of two residential rentals, Château Fleur.

Situated on the eastern point of the garden, it's the perfect location to enjoy a SL sunrise. Sheltered by mature trees and surrounded by water on three sides, a private dock allows you to moor your own boat so that you are ready to explore the duchy by sea.

Le Chateau de Compiègne supplied many of the stone and boiserie details including those from the Salon des fleurs. Wide expanses of glass make for rooms full of light and the three balconies allow you to relax and dine outdoors. A full security system is also included.

Visit Château Fleur inworld.