SS FRANCE “Paquebot FRANCE, Design Embarqué”

| June 13, 2014 | M'Arts Blog, Past Ships, Shipping News | 9 Comments

The exhibition “Ocean Liner France, Design at sea” closed its doors in the Spring of 2014 at the Musee d’Art et d’Industrie  (Museum of Art and Industry) in Saint-Etienne, France.  The exhibition ran from October 2013 and closed in April 2014 with some 31,000 visitors to the Museum.

MaritimeMatters has been in touch with Commissioner General, Franck Sénant, Engineering Heritage Regional Conservation of Historical Monuments, Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Rhône-Alpes who shares his photographs from the exhibition.

All photographs are copyright Franck Sénant 2014

france
The original illuminated letters of the ss FRANCE, from between the two funnels were are installed in the grand staircase of the museum during the exhibition.
France2

originals models, plans, posters, photos for the conception and construction of the last french liner

originals models- funnel and propellers4

 

Painting by Albert Brenet
Painting by Albert Brenet
Propeller models
Propeller models
SS FRANCE Classic funnel design
SS FRANCE Classic funnel design

originals models- funnel and propellers3

originals models, plans, posters, photos for the conception and construction of the last french liner3

 

Contributors to the exhibition
Contributors to the exhibition

originals models- funnel and propellers5

originals models, plans, posters, photos for the conception and construction of the last french liner4

originals models, plans, posters, photos for the conception and construction of the last french liner2

France, design, luxury at sea4

Second class furniture designed by Jacques Dumont
Second class furniture designed by Jacques Dumont
Second class dinning room furniture by Marc Simon
Second class dinning room furniture by Marc Simon
Designs by Marc Simon
Designs by Marc Simon
Bernard Dunand designs
Bernard Dunand designs
Bernard Dunand designs
Bernard Dunand designs

France, design, luxury at sea3

France, design, luxury at sea2

France, design, luxury at sea

Original puppets

Original puppets
Original puppets
Souvenirs
Souvenirs
Original panels by Bernard Dunand for the private first class small room
Original panels by Bernard Dunand for the private first class small room

photo 4

Dishes, crystal, silverware on board 3

Dishes, crystal, silverware on board 2

Art of French Living and gastronomie
Art of French Living and gastronomie
Art of French Living and gastronomie
Art of French Living and gastronomie

art of French Living and gastronomie

Cabin designs by Henri Lancel
Cabin designs by Henri Lancel
Chair of the luxury suite Ile de France by Marco Zanusso
Chair of the luxury suite Ile de France by Marco Zanusso
Chair of the luxury suite Ile de France by Marco Zanusso
Chair of the luxury suite Ile de France by Marco Zanusso

dresses2

photo 5

photo

photo11

French line posters 1962-74
French line posters 1962-74
Posters from France and Norway
Posters from France and Norway
The map of the French-Line routes in 1950
The map of the French-Line routes in 1950
The End at Alang, India where the FRANCE was scrapped
The End at Alang, India where the FRANCE was scrapped

 

http://www.musee-art-industrie.saint-etienne.fr/

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About The Author

mcox

MARTIN COX - Founder and publisher of MaritimeMatters, inspired by maritime culture and technology growing up in the port of Southampton. He works as a photographer in Los Angeles, and his works has been exhibited in LA, San Francisco, New York, London and Iceland. Martin is the co-writer of the book “Hollywood to Honolulu; the story of the Los Angeles Steamship Company” published by the Steam Ship Historical Society of America. The Los Angeles Maritime Museum has commissioned artworks and collected his photographs.

9 Comments
  1. Dieter Killinger

    Exhibition beautifully mounted and presented. C’est magnifique et tres elegant!

  2. Glenn L.

    Nice Job.

  3. Kenneth Eden

    Where are those magnificent floor to ceiling tapestries that were the epitome of the SS FRANCES decor, the focal points in her massive ballrooms?

    Upon decommissioning, the word back then was that her majestic interior pieces would be stored.

    This is but a pittance of the wonderful things she had inside her steel shell. I am so glad to see even these few trinkets preserved and presented so nicely.

  4. Jeff Macklin

    Very nicely done. IMO the exhibition captured the essence of the FRANCE and her time.

  5. Larry Wade

    My Grandmother at age 88 voyaged to Europe on the SS FRANCE. She was always in awe of the ship and of the crew that attended to her every need. Not to even mention that she loved the food!
    Larry Wade, COMMODORE, USMS, Ret.

  6. Paul Goodwin

    The most beautiful French liner of all time, imo.

  7. Scott McBee

    I have the Floating Toy model of the France shown in the picture “Original Puppets”. Does anybody know if it is a rare find? I can find nothing on the history of this toy or any others like it. If you have any information please contact me.

    Scottmcbee41@yahoo.com

    Thank you.

  8. Bryan Potgieter

    I am truly humbled to have come across this exhibition which I found on a web site ! This for me was the most beautiful of all Passenger Ships and indeed very Sad she is no longer with us! Much appreciate the pictures displayed here! Bryan

  9. Bob Graham

    For me the combination of majesty and sheer beauty found in FRANCE was unequaled among the superliners. Her timing, though, was tragic: debuting as she did at the sunset of the Atlantic liner. Additionally, her interiors reflected an era of blandness in interior design, and so with few exceptions, her accommodations and public spaces could not stand comparison with illustrious predecessors such as ILE DE FRANCE or NORMANDIE.

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