Henri Samuel: Master of the French Interior

The quality of Rizzoli Books isn't getting better. I miss the days when the release of a Rizzoli book was a major event and I could take for granted the book would be bound and printed in Italy.I received this book on release day and felt a sinking feeling when I opened the box. Another cheap looking art book printed in China. The paper and print quality is not first rate and the overall quality is not superb. Most of the photographs in the book are old and of variable quality. Many sketches and water colors are shown instead of photographs. The text is well written, but we buy Rizzoli Books mainly for the stunning photography and high quality.A few months ago I was excited about the "Houghton Hall" book. The photography and print quality is very good and the book was well produced. This book was also printed in China. Halfway through the book I discovered a serious tear in the binding. Amazon kindly sent me a sealed replacement. The replacement copy had the exact same torn binding on the same page! Rizzoli has terrible customer service - no phone number available or e-mail listed to report problems. I finally located a general e-mail address and reported a quality control problem, twice. That was months ago and no one ever contacted me. Rizzoli should have sent me a pre-paid mailing label to return the book and they should have sent me a flawless replacement copy. They aren't concerned about providing good customer service or standing behind their product. They are out to make a quick buck, as long as customers continue to buy their mediocre books. Most of the Flammarion Books I've seen match the quality of the original Rizzoli Books.

I'm not a designer, well just an armchair one, with shelves full of books about houses and decorating. Lately I have to be very choosy about the books I buy, because there's NO ROOM. But this one earns its place, out of sheer gorgeousness, variety, and colorfulness! M. Samuel has designed for the Rothschilds, the Met, and well, almost everyone who was anyone (and rich!) since the mid-twentieth century (Yves Saint Laurent, Jayne and Charles Wrightsman, Susan and John Gutfreund, Hubert de Givenchy, Valentino, Barbara Bush, Anna Thompson Dodge, Louise de Vilmorain, Gerald and Florence Van Der Kemp, Balthus, and perhaps most notably, himself, among many others).The styles range from rococo to classic to moderne to eclectic, so something for just about everybody, except maybe the solid white folks. There's plenty of content, plenty of big, clear pictures catching the sweep and scale of entire rooms, with no annoying close-ups of details or vignettes (which I hate) at all. Of course the art, and even much of the furniture is museum quality. You can't, probably, try this at home, or maybe you can, if you're one of the lucky ones. Anyway, you can certainly be inspired to use your imagination and do the best with what you have.I especially love the detailed watercolors showing many of the rooms in their original freshness, with no shadows or dark corners, and the biographical chapters with pictures of M. Samuel as a child with his family and at various stages of his life and career, with some of his famous clients. There's a good balance between pictures and text, more pictures than text, but quite enough text to help you understand what you are seeing.Recommended (by me), even for those with full shelves.

Was looking very forward to this tome, but must say that I was disappointed by the quality of the pictures....I recognize that some were from many years ago, but rather than being a period shot, just looked shotty. Thought that the layout of the book was difficult to follow as well. I purchase many of these design books monthly, and must say that given the elevated stature of the subject, the delivery of the subject matter was very very poor.

Dear Emily,Thank you (and Merci) for this beautiful addition to our design library...You show every decorator in America how it should be done! The amount of research into the life and the work of M. Samuel is invaluable. And the fact that you were able to uncover so many images that haven't been seen for decades is a testament to your skills as a researcher and a writer...Congratulations on a job so very well-done. (Ps. your book on Madame Castaing was absolutely stellar.)Patrick KillianPresidentPatrick Killian, Inc.

Extraordinary book about an extraordinary designer. One of the best books I’ve found on a designer with clear, large photos and crisp text. So much to learn from the lessons Samuel teaches through his work.

It's impossible not to like a book about Henri Samuel's work. However, he was very famous for mixing traditional and classic french furniture with modern pieces and works of art, and I wish this book showed more of this aspect of his work. I pre-ordered this book many months before it was released, and my expectation was huge. Even though I am very pleased with my purchase I expected a little bit more.

Ms. Eerdmans has done it again! She has put her diligent research efforts to paying a long overdue tribute to the career and creations of some of the 20th Century's finest rooms in notable houses and apartments of the European and American elite by the master Henri Samuel. Bravo! Sumptuous illustrations with lively and informative narrative. Anyone who adds this to his or her design libary will be making a wise acquisition! This book is no less enriching than this talented design historian's prior monographs in other design legends like Madeleine Castaing and Mario Buatta!

I would not recommend this book, the photos are poor quality and look like they are copies of copies. Pictures are worth a thousand words.

Delighted

The quality of Rizzoli Books isn't getting better.

Un beau livre sur cette intéressante période des arts décoratifs mais dont se demande pourquoi il n'existe pas aussi en français...La qualité des photographies, parfois trop agrandies, n'est pas toujours excellente.Le texte en anglais est assez facilement accessible, même pour un médiocre angliciste.

Merci TB !