Mansions of Paris

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Spanning two centuries of French history, this blend of art and history reveals the treasures of twenty prestigious, sumptuous town houses, each representative of 17th and 18th century Parisian urban architecture in the city's fables historic districts. Lively accounts usher readers into the private worlds of the houses' former inhabitants, conjuring up an exciting era of dazzling splendor, from court life in the reign of Lois XIV to libertine intrigues and revolutionary tragedies. An equally novel series of contemporary photographs recreates the refinement of a bygone era.