Empress Eugénie was a trendsetter during the Second Empire (1852-1870).  Born to Spanish nobility and  educated in Spain, France and England, she married Napoleon II of France.  She was known for her beauty, intelligence and refinement.  She because a style icon in her time, mixing French haute couture and Spanish elegance. At a time when Parisian luxury industries were flourishing, she admired Marie Antoinette and decorated in the Louis XV and Louis XVI styles.

Under the patronage of Napoleon III and his Eugenie, Paris was transformed into a center for the decorative arts. The king and queen were active patrons of the arts and their tastes were evident in the styles of this era – opulent, grandeur and bows to earlier periods in history. 

 

The Belle Epoque, or “Beautiful Era” was a period of cultural and social prosperity in Europe and the United States that lasted from the late 19th century until the outbreak of World War I.  Paris in particular was at the center of this period, becoming home to many famous artists, writers and designers of the time.  Furnishings of the Belle Epoque were characterized by ornate, decorative styles, often combining elements of Art Nouveau and Baroque influences.