Padiglione Paquin
Catalog Level
Items (Cataloging Focus)
Title Proper/Title Text
Padiglione Paquin
Related Protagonists
Date of Publication/Creation Date
1911 ca.
Numbering/Creation Numbers
7132 3148
Inscription Language
Italian (Language)
Related Built Environment Objects
Descriptive Note Text
This black-and-white photo postcard shows the Paquin Kiosk, located in the gardens of the French section, between the Monumental Bridge and the Medieval Castle. The Maison de Couture Paquin was started by Jeanne and Isidore Paquin in 1896. The kiosk and its haute couture exhibits were so popular that the Maison Paquin established an entrance fee of 50 cents per person (a bit more than 2 Euros today). All the proceeds went to charity initiatives in Turin and Paris.
The kiosk evoked classical forms and was defined a "Pagan temple devoted to elegance and good taste" (La Stampa, May 22, 1911). It was graced by a frieze displaying silhouetted depictions of women, in black-and-white on a green background, holding wreaths and other symbols of abundance. The classical frieze was created by Parisian artist André Édouard Marty. A nude female statue, holding a mirror, was placed under the peristyle of the kiosk. Named "Chryseis" from a young maiden in the Iliad, it was attributed to French sculptor André-Louis-Adolphe Laoust.
Upon entering the kiosk, fairgoers could admire a diorama presenting an aristocratic get-together. Wax mannequins exhibited the sumptuous dresses that Madame Paquin created for the occasion. The diorama's background was created by painter and fashion illustrator Félix Fournery. Precious ceramic vases by André Metthey and elegant pieces of furniture completed the scene.
Current Repository/Geographic Location
Cristina Della Coletta Private Collection (San Diego, USA)
Current Repository Numbers
CDC-PC-PAQP-0001