Théâtre Daunou's Art Deco Decor Restored 50 Years After Fire

Fifty years after a devastating fire in 1971, the Théâtre Daunou in Paris has been restored to its original Art Deco splendor. The theater, inaugurated on December 30, 1921, was designed by architect Auguste Bluysen (also responsible for the Grand Rex cinema) with interiors by couturier Jeanne Lanvin and designer Armand-Albert Rateau. The restoration, led by Studio Vincent Eschalier and M+O Architectes du Patrimoine, focused on recovering the monumental bas-reliefs above the stage that had been destroyed in the fire. The company Louis Del Boca, a heritage enterprise since 2011, handled the staff (plaster) work, including recreating missing panels from archival photographs and engravings. The central bas-relief features two facing peacocks in an Islamic-inspired aesthetic, flanked by panels with monkeys and squirrels amid stylized vegetation. The signature Lanvin blue color and daisy motif are omnipresent, with gilded daisy-shaped sconces and velvet seating in 'Bleu Lanvin.' The project involved fifteen companies and artisans, including sculptors, staff workers, painters, and gilders. The gilding uses 22.5-carat yellow gold, chosen after stratigraphic analysis. The restored theater now features improved accessibility and comfort for audiences and performers.