more Verrieres than I bargained for

.

One of my favourite fabrics- Verrieres. I wrote about it in detail HERE last summer. Another classic case of Verrieres in the bedroom of Nadine, Baroness de Rothschild, at her cottage in Brittany. When interviewed for The French Woman's Bedroom* by Mary Sargent Ladd. She said of the blue and white floral pattern, "It's a country pattern, very feminine. I couldn't use it in the city or with a man around the house. I must admit that in buying this house I was thinking of the fabric. When I first saw it at Louise de Vilmorin's, it seemed to go perfectly with her, and then I discovered that Helene Rochas had the same fabric too. That made me realized that it made all the women look lovelier because it radiates a peaceful and serene atmosphere."

Along with this stunning bedroom, with one of my favorite fabrics- I began to think about the woman I had quoted-What was Nadine de Rothschild like? She was a beauty-and remains so. She was a fashion model, and artist's model & muse, posing for painter, Jean-Gabriel Domergue, some of his work bears her name, while many others bear her likeness.

"Nadine"

Jean-Gabriel Domergue

like Nadines by Domergue-

Born in 1932,Nadine Lhopitallier, the future Baroness was an actress during the 1950's- her stage name-Nadine Tallier.
 Whether modeling, acting or musing, Nadine was a confidant woman and it followed naturally that in 1962 she marry the wealthiest of the Rothschilds- Edmond. She was from the working classes- Made no difference. Edmond was the freewheeling individualist-preferring to seek his own successes outside the conventional Rothschild world. Edmond was not a a part of the Rothschild's social whirl, so his marriage, of course, shocked the elites of that world. When the pair met at a Paris party-  'According to contemporary accounts, they had met at a social event when he remarked that the diamond she was wearing was beautiful but not real. Later, seated beside him at dinner, she watched him open a small pillbox. Inside she saw a diamond ring. ''I don't doubt that it's real,'' she said, ''but isn't it in the wrong place?'' click the text for the NYTIMES article


She was not any of the things other Rothschild wives claimed- and above all she was Roman Catholic. She converted and years later said ''It would not have been possible to have the name Rothschild and be a Catholic, 'Nor would it be right for the son of a Rothschild to be half-Jewish and half-Catholic.''

 

She is known as a writer- books on perfect protocol for society's elite- romance novels, a memoir- "The Baroness will return at 5," & countless others. After her husband's death, she embarked on books, the family businesses, that now include the wines, Clarke and Malmaison, her husband's last passion and business venture. Baroness Nadine and her daughter in law have created an elegant hotel in Megeve-once a family chateau. She is co-founder of The Edmond and Nadine de Rothschild Foundation in the fields of medicine and education.

the Rothschild Room donated by the couple & decorated by Henri Samuel

an 18th century French Salon

the Israel Museum,Jerusalem

This Baroness can keep you busy for days!


the Nadine Tallier photographs here
the Domergue painting is entitled Nadine, there are however many Domergue paintings that carry her likeness.
Domergue biography here 
read about Baron Edmond's Chateau Clarke and Chateau Mouton wines here
read about Domaine du Mont d'Arbois the Megeve family chateau, now deluxe hotel in  here