Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 - 5:30 @ The Athenæum of Philadelphia (219 S 6th St, Philadelphia)
Joan DeJean will discuss a colorful cast of visionaries - legendary architects, the first interior designers, and the woman who shaped the tastes of two successive kings of France: Louis XIV's mistress Madame de Maintenon and Louis XV's mistress Madame de Pompadour. Their revolutionary ideas would have a direct influence on realms outside the home, from clothing to literature and gender relations, changing the way people lived and related to one antoher for the foreseeable future. She identifies the moment in modern history when informality and comfort first became priorities, setting off a transformation in the worlds of architecture and interior decoration.
Joan DeJean is the author of nine books on French literature, history, and culture of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. She is Trustee Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where she has taught for eighteen years.
The Alliance Française is not taking reservations for this event, please reserve directly with Susan Gallo (215-925-2688 or sgallo@philaathenaeum.org) at the Athenæum.
