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The art of fine dining: Christofle at the Grimaldi Forum
2010-12-06 17:58
What: Christofle: Création et Savoir-Faire
Where: Grimaldi Forum
When: 16 Dec - 3 Jan, except 25 Dec and 1 Jan, 12 noon to 7pm
Admission: free of charge
The
living world, abstract patterns and the art of
the goldsmith: three themes which have contributed to some of the most beautiful tableware in the world, on show for the next three weeks at the Grimaldi Forum
When it comes to laying the table for Christmas lunch, those in the know will be turning to their sets of Christofle, the leading French manufacturer of luxury tableware.
The company, founded by Charles Christofle in 1830, is renowned for its highly desirable collections of silver, crystal, glassware and porcelain, examples of which have been gracing royal and aristocratic tables for nearly two hundred years.
Born in Lyon in 1805, the son of a silk merchant, Charles Christofle trained as a jeweller and silversmith in the Marais, and rose to prominence as the official supplier to both King Louis-Philippe and Emperor Napoleon III. His creations are to be found in the Elysée Palace and the Tuileries as well as Chateaux Compiègne and Saint-Cloud.
Christofle Caviar Server
Most famously of all, Christofle tableware was to be found in the
dining-cars of the Orient Express, the Trans-Siberian Railway and Le Train Bleu,
the famous overnight service which brought countless high-class
visitors to the French Riviera during the 1920s. It was the diningware
of choice on the great transatlantic liners, and was commissioned by
emperors, princes and maharajahs.
Soon the company began to extend its reach beyond the aristocracy, making use of the new technique of electrolysis to produce silver- and gold-plated tableware of the same elegance but at a lower cost. The company opened its first store in 1856 at 33, Boulevard des
İtaliens, in Paris. But as its fame spread, Christofle opened
showrooms in five continents.
Now with 75 Christofle stores and a further 400 retail outlets across the globe, you're never far away from luxury. But there's one way to see the most beautiful current catalogue under one roof, and that's by visiting the current exhibition in the glass atrium of the Grimaldi Forum. The show is delineated by three major themes: designs based on the
living world, those which make use of abstract patterns, and the art of
the goldsmith.
Whether you're browsing or buying for Christmas or the New Year, it won't take you long to appreciate the aptness of the firm's motto: 'Une seule qualité: la meilleure' - only one quality - the best.