A life left behind...

Imagine Hitler and his troops are advancing on Paris, your home. You have minutes to flee. You gather what you can and quickly make your way out to find refuge in the south....never to return. Fast forward those 70 years and a time capsule to the past that was left behind is discovered...the woman it belonged to was Madame de Florian. 

After her death at the age of 91 in 2010 an inventory of possessions took place, only then did the family become aware to the existence of the apartment (just steps from the Trinity Church in Paris). 

Kept under a thick layer of almost protecting dust, treasures and life waited patiently for her return. Works of art, antique toys once loved and played with, evidence of a past life...asleep for eternity.

140 square meters have remained frozen in their place. And what's even more miraculous is, that though Madame de Florian never returned, she paid her expenses dutifully over 70 years. 

One of the majour discoveries however, was a painting by Giovanni Boldini, the Italian painter of the 19th century. In pink chiffon, a gorgeous woman poses. This is a portrait of Marthe de Florian, whose real name is Matilda Baugiron, born in 1875 and grandmother of the deceased owner. Marthe de Florian was an actress, courtesan, in short a "demi-monde" as they were called and one time muse of the artist and many other men of the era, including a minister and future "Tiger" Clemenceau. The expert in charge immediately thought Boldini but this painting had never been exposed, it was not listed anywhere in the catalogue of the artist. Continuing his exploration into the apartment, he discovered a love note manuscript from the painter, confirming the idea that it was an unprecedented array of Boldini. Only after the long search he found a reference in a book published in 1951 by the widow of the artist, saying it had been painted in 1898 when Marthe was 24 years old.

Long before her granddaughter, Marthe Florian lived in the apartment all her life. The family sold the painting at the starting price of 300, 000 EUR {£240. 94/$375.77}, it flew to 2.1 million, a new record for a Boldini. But, the most fabulous treasure, is this world - this home, caught in a frozen time bubble. Life lost with a beautiful story to tell. 

I hope you enjoyed this as I did,

Have a wonderful rest of the week & weekend to come.

 ♥

{Pictures by Corbis Images}