Moïse de Camondo

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Count Moïse de Camondo (1860 - 1935 in Paris) was a French banker. As a child, the Camondo moved with his family, from their home in Istanbul, Turkey, to Paris where he grew up and continued his father's career as a banker. He was born into a Sepharadic Jewish family that owned one of the largest banks in the Ottoman Empire, established in France since 1869.

In 1912 he completely rebuilt the family mansion on the Parc Monceau in order to house his collection of 18th century French furniture and artwork. Working closely with the architect René Sergent he created a demure suitable to 18th century traditions, even respecting the exact size in the placement of objects in his collection. The entryway is particularly inspired by the Petit Trianon of Versailles.

Some highlights include French silver service that had been ordered by Russian royal Catherine II, a set of Buffon porcelain (with exact reproductions of ornithological drawings) from the Sevres manufacturer, and perhaps the only existing complete set of Gobelin royal tapestry sketches.

He raised his two children in this home which he donated to Paris's Decorative Arts society as a museum (opened in 1936 one year after his death) in honor of the loss of his son in World War I. The museum opened the year after Moïse de Camondo died, in 1935. During World War II, his daughter, Béatrice, his son-of-law Léon Reinach and their children, Fanny and Bertrand, died in the nazi camps. The Camondo family died out.

In addition to the wonders of his collection, the restored service areas, elevator and woodwork of his home are admirable.