In 1784 the Count de Vaudreuil purchased a grand residence in Paris and filled it with the latest furniture and a fabulous art collection. He was the most important private patron of the artist Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun, who painted this portrait of him, which is now at the Met in New York.
He did it largely on borrowed money which was initially not a problem because the Comte d’Artois guaranteed his credit. Everything changed when Calonne, the Controller-General of Finances was replaced. The Count de Vaudreuil had to sell everything to repay his debts.
The French court bought most of his furniture and art. The bedroom furniture was all by Boule and his “lit à la polonaise” was bought at the knock down price of 52,930 pounds. It was initially placed at Versailles.
During the French Revolution the royal family moved to the Tuileries Palace in Paris. This bed came with them and was probably used by Madame Adelaide.
Napoleon gave it to Cambacères who later sold it to Louis Philippe’s mother. Louis-Philippe inherited the bed and it was finally sold in England when he was exiled there.
Ernest Cognacq, the founder of La Samaritaine department store bought the bed to add to his collection of works of art from the 18th century. In 1928 his collection was given to the City of Paris.
Vaudreuil’s bed is now on display at Cognac Jay Museum in Paris.
