The Hôtel de Mercy-Argenteau. A Setting for History

Léonard Pouy

Constructed in 1778, the Hôtel de Mercy-Argenteau owes its name to Florimond-Claude, Count of Mercy-Argenteau, the Austrian ambassador to France from 1766 to 1790 and Marie-Antoinette’s right-hand man. This book offers an immersion into the history of the building and its occupants.

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Overview

Constructed in 1778 from plans by Firmin Perlin and financed by the Marquis of Laborde, the Hôtel de Mercy-Argenteau owes its name to its first occupant, Florimond-Claude, Count of Mercy-Argenteau, the Austrian ambassador to France from 1766 to 1790 and Marie-Antoinette’s right-hand man. Gaining distinction both as one of the first residences to be built along Paris’ Grands Boulevards and one of the last to be conserved, the hôtel, transformed endlessly and recently restored, today opens its doors to students and visitors at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts.

Léonard Pouy

Author of L’Hôtel de Mercy-Argenteau, Art Historian and Content and Transmission Manager at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts

While the Hôtel de Mercy-Argenteau is evidently of great interest in terms of architectural heritage, this is definitely not the only reason, given the rich history of its successive inhabitants as well as the illustrious members of society who once frequented its reception rooms.