Cap Ferrat was a summer resort of Europe and North America's most elegant and wealthy patrons. In 1905 Baroness Ephrussi de Rothchild chose this site to build her 5th home modeled after Renaissance palaces in Venice and Florence. Villa Ephrussi (according to the website) is the only great house on the Riviera that is both open to the public and poignantly reveals the magnificent summer residences built during the Belle Epoch era. A patron of the arts, Baroness Ephrussi donated the house and its vast art collection to France upon her death at age 75 in 1934. According to our tour, she led a very unconventional life for a woman of her era.
In 1904 the Baroness filed for a legal separation from her husband (she was about 40 and he was 55). Apparently, though a banker, he had made some unwise investments and lost 30 million dollars of their money. Not only did she disapprove of his money management, but apparently was a lesbian and approved female company more than her husband. When her father, Alphonse Rothchild, died in 1905, she inherited 230 million dollars in 1905 dollars....needless to say, she had money to spend. Using a theme of salmony pinkish orange, the gardens and house are unified in color. Apparently in the day, the Baroness held parties that recreated the court of Marie Antoinette at Versailles and brought out her two pet monkeys, mongooses, gazelles, antelopes and flamingoes to participate in the party.
Villa Ephrussi has nine gardens, but only two are original to the Baroness' oversight (the rest have been installed over the past 80 years). The symmetrical planting, fountains, and flowers are highlighted off the front rooms. The day was spent on-sight, sketching the gardens.
Yesterday, I was talking about the coverings over the windows. Today I have a picture of what I am talking about. I did sneak out to this internet cafe and left the garage door open--don't tell Heidi my landlord.....(I really hate how dark the apartment is when you enter!) Garage doors are on the left and shutters are obviously on the right.
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