Hamilton Palace - a virtual reconstructionhomepage
linksrediscovering the palacepalace and parksexteriorsinteriorsthe hamilton familythe long gallerytreasures of the palacebuildings in the parkdispersal and demolitionlinks to related sites
  treasures of the palace  
  Travelling service of Princess Pauline Borghese by Martin-Guillaume Biennais  
                 
  Click for Scran Resource
© National Museums of Scotland 		 

Formerly in Hamilton Palace, South Lanarkshire, now in the National Museums of Scotland

This great nécessaire de voyage, containing items for the toilette, meals and writing, is a development of travelling services owned by Queen Marie-Antoinette and other important ladies at the court of Louis XVI. Its creator, Biennais, began as a tabletier (a maker or seller of small articles of wood, ivory and tortoiseshell) and became a specialist assembler-supplier of travelling services in the wake of the French Revolution. He was patronised by Napoleon (who obviously needed such things during his military campaigns) as early as 1796 and became official goldsmith to the First Consul and, after May 1804, the Emperor.

  
                 
 

An inscription on the brass at the front of the chest records that Biennais assembled the service for Napoleon’s sister, the Princess Pauline Borghese, while Napoleon was First Consul (between November 1799 and 18 May 1804). Two letter 'B's on the top of the lid indicate that it was supplied in connection with Pauline’s marriage to Prince Camillo Borghese. They were secretly married on 28 August 1803 and then by civil ceremony on 6 November, which points to assembly and delivery at the end of 1803/beginning of 1804.

As the SPECIAL RESOURCE enables you to see, Biennais has managed to fit over 100 items and many useful features into this remarkable service. Most of the pieces are smaller and simpler than their normal counterparts, and are stored in tiers and, indeed, inside one another, protected by silk liners. Later makers of travelling services would refine Biennais’s ideas -for example, rounding the corners of the chest and substituting a rectangular mirror with a sturdy rectangular rest for the unstable mirror with its flimsy easel support.

 
                 
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
  [ related links ]              
  Click to open the slideshowSlideshow of 50 images from the travelling service        
                 
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
linksCopyright informationProject contributorshomepage