Entre splendeurs du passé et difficultés à tenir rang, vivent les aristocrates. Leur souci constant de démarcation avec les autres groupes sociaux fait de leur vie un théâtre centré autour de la famille et de l'éducation reçue hors l'école dans l'intimité du château. Grâce à cette riche mémoire vivante, on voit une société toute entière concentrée autour de son identité, envahie par son histoire, requise par un immense souci de composition où le goût, la demeure, la parole, l'image de la France, la religion sont autant de critères distinctifs d'un groupe social qui se veut avant tout héritier de lui-même. Cet travail effectué de 1983 à 1996 a été exposé à New York en juin 2001.
Count Jean-Denis de Casteja and his cat, Crillon Hotel.
FXS0017905x © François-Xavier Seren
Le baron François-Xavier Sambucy de Sorgues, son épouse, née princesse Chantal d'Orléans, et leurs trois enfants au château de Balleroy, propriété de Malcolm Forbes. Juin 1984.
FXS0043662x © François-Xavier Seren
Axel et Alexandre de Sambucy de Sorgues. Château de Balleroy, juin 1984.
FXS0043664x © François-Xavier Seren
Countess Anne-Marie de Vinzelles in her mansion in Picardy.
FXS0017906x © François-Xavier Seren
Cocktail at count Jacques de Ricaumont's house, boulevard Saint-Germain. At the centre, Mrs Hubert de Mirleau with baroness Claire Hatvany (now deceased).
FXS0018312x © François-Xavier Seren
Count Jacques de Ricaumont, at home, boulevard Saint-Germain. Socialite and writer, his taste for urbane society and for the Ancien Régime made him a critic of the jet set, and his common sense led him to write that the worst form of snobbery is anti-snobbery. Deceased in 1996.
FXS0017909x © François-Xavier Seren
Prince Guy de Polignac in the uniform of the Maltese Order at the Versailles Castle (deceased).
FXS0017887x © François-Xavier Seren
Chevaliers of the Maltese Order during their annual ceremony at the Versailles Castle.
FXS0018315x © François-Xavier Seren
Wifes of the Jerusalem Holy Sepulchre chevaliers attending mass at the Invalides church. The mission of this Order is to maintain and spread faith in the Holy land.
FXS0027201x © François-Xavier Seren
The " Bal des Débutantes" at the Intercontinental Hotel, Paris.
FXS0018316x © François-Xavier Seren
"Royal" curtsey of Mrs Hubert de Mirleau to H.R.H. Henri d'Orléans, count of Paris, at the private view of his exhibition at the Apomixie gallery.
FXS0017267x © François-Xavier Seren
Garden party in the gardens of the "Cercle de l'Union Interalliée" where H.R.H. the countess of Paris, deceased in 2003, wanted to be photographed with a Brazilian model. Jun. 1985.
FXS0017283x © François-Xavier Seren
Yearly garden-party annuelle in the gardens of the "Cercle de l'Union Interalliée". From left to right : Elisabeth de Ribes, her mother, the viscountess Jacqueline de Ribes and her grandmother, the countess de Beaumont.
FXS0027146x © François-Xavier Seren
Garden-party at the "Cercle de l'Union Interalliée". Sitting, Countess Jean de Beaumont born Paule de Rivaud de La Raffinière. With a withe hat, the former ballet dancer (now a painter) Ludmilla Tchérina.
FXS0027141x © François-Xavier Seren
Reception in the gardens of the "Cercle Interallié". Princess Galitzine and baroness de Lagger.
FXS0035178x © François-Xavier Seren
Countess Thierry de Limburg-Stirum at the Crillon Hotel.
FXS0017896x © François-Xavier Seren
Countess François de Bourbon-Busset at home, rue de Varenne, in Paris.
FXS0017889x © François-Xavier Seren
Comtesse de Mauléon-Narbonne, Marchioness d'Amat and her son Charles-César, Baroness de Langsdorff with José Echélus-Lasala, former Argentinian diplomat, having a picnic at the Prix de Diane horse race in Chantilly, 1996.
FXS0018322x © François-Xavier Seren
Marchioness d'Amat, countess de Mauléon-Narbonne and baroness de Langsdorff at the Prix de Diane horse race in Chantilly.
FXS0018323x © François-Xavier Seren
Marchioness d'Amat, born Chantal de Damas, in the reception lounge of her mansion in Versailles.
FXS0024743x © François-Xavier Seren
Bedroom of the Château de Condé in Condé-en-Brie, owned by Mme Alain de Pasté de Rochefort. November 1987.
FXS0043663x © François-Xavier Seren
H.R.H. the Duchess of Orléans, née Gersende de Sabran-Pontevès, at home, place Vauban. Paris.
FXS0017917x © François-Xavier Seren
Prince Robert de Lobkowicz at home, avenue Marceau. Deceased in 1988.
FXS0017899x © François-Xavier Seren
Princess Édouard de Lobkowicz, born H.R.H. princess Françoise de Bourbon-Parme, at home in Paris.
FXS0017893x © François-Xavier Seren
Fra Andrew Willoughby Ninian Bertie was elected 'Prince et Grand maitre de l'Ordre souverain de Malte' on April 8th 1988.
FXS0027202x © François-Xavier Seren
H.R.H. princess Micaela d'Orléans, countess of Paris, duchess of France after a conference by Vladimir Volkoff at the Grenoble convention center.
FXS0017914x © François-Xavier Seren
Princess Victoire de Bourbon-Parme at home in Versailles.
FXS0027208x © François-Xavier Seren
Count Thierry de Montaigu, Monceau Park. January 1988.
FXS0043746x © François-Xavier Seren
Baroness Thierry de Langsdorff at home in Paris.
FXS0017891x © François-Xavier Seren
Marchioness Claire de Mac-Mahon at home in Paris, avenue de Breteuil.
FXS0017888x © François-Xavier Seren
Stag's heads (hunting trophies) and coat of arms of the Cossé-Brissac family at the château de Brissac.
FXS0027145x © François-Xavier Seren
L'ex-Impératrice Soraya et Mme Morgan-Reynolds à l'entrée du Théatre des Champs-Elysées.
FXS0027139x © François-Xavier Seren
H.I.H. grand-duke Wladimir of Russia (today deceased) and his daughter princess Maria (House of Romanoff) at the reception hosted in their honor by prince Constantin Mourousy, rue Garancière in Paris.
FXS0027203x © François-Xavier Seren
Princess and prince Constantin Mourousy, duke de Castries (deceased) and prince Paul Mourousy (deceased), members of a literary prize, at the restaurant "Le Drouant".
FXS0017282x © François-Xavier Seren
H.R.H. Prince Joachim Murat, descendant of Maréchal Murat, King of Naples, at home in Paris.
FXS0026653x © François-Xavier Seren
Prince Charles-Henri de Lobkowicz at home in Paris, rue de Seine.
FXS0017900x © François-Xavier Seren
Baron Alexis de Redé at home, Hôtel Lambert, rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Isle. Deceased in 2004.
FXS0017890x © François-Xavier Seren
Dinner at prince Nicolas Sturdza's in the honour of T.R.H. count and countess of Paris.
FXS0017280x © François-Xavier Seren
The Barbat du Closel Easter family gathering in their house in "La Roulière". Azé (Loire et Cher). April 1988.
FXS0017885x © François-Xavier Seren
Prince Emmanuel de Broglie and his mother, Princess Jean-Emmanuel de Broglie. Paris, March 1991.
FXS0043641x © François-Xavier Seren
Prince and princess Constantin Mourousy in their living room in Paris, rue Garancière.
FXS0017892x © François-Xavier Seren
The Countess of Paris, née Princesse Isabelle d'Orléans Bragance (1911-2003), in the hairdresser Alexandre's salon, her official hairstylist. May 1985.
FXS0046567x © François-Xavier Seren
The Count of Barcelona (1913-1993) by the portrrait of his father, King Alphonse XIII, at his home in Madrid. Son of a king, and father of a king (Juan Carlos), he never reigned himself. May 1985.
FXS0046566x © François-Xavier Seren
S.A.R Madame la comtesse de Paris, née Isabelle d'Orléans Bragance, décédée en 2003, se promenant dans les jardins du musée Claude Monet de Giverny.
FXS0017915x © François-Xavier Seren
Duke and Duchess of Wurtemberg, née H.R.H Princess Diane d'Orléans, pose in the hairstylist Alexandre's salon. August 1986.
FXS0043667x © François-Xavier Seren
H.R.H. prince Henri d'Orléans, duke of France, count of Paris, pretender to the French throne, at home in Paris.
FXS0017913x © François-Xavier Seren
H.R.H. the duke of Orléans, youngest brother of the count of Paris, at home, Paris. Sept. 1987.
FXS0017916x © François-Xavier Seren
King Michel of Romania and Queen Anne, née Princess Anne de Bourbon-Parme, in the garden of thier Genevan home. Geneva, May 1984.
FXS0046366x © François-Xavier Seren