
The bidet – furniture designed for cleansing the ‘delicate parts of the body’
300 years ago, a diverse array of special furniture designed for personal hygiene began to appear in the bedrooms and boudoirs of the French aristocracy. Among these was the ‘cleanliness seat’ – the bidet.
Elaborate 'morning toilette' in the boudoir

The triumphal procession of the 'little wooden horse'

A piece of furniture with an erotic component

For many, an object of shame

Declining demand since the 1960s
‘300 years – 30 objects’ to mark the anniversary of the baroque castle
The bidet is part of the current special exhibition ‘300 Years – 30 Objects. Treasures and finds from the collection’ (until 18 October 2020) to mark the tricentenary ‘300 Jahre Barockschloss’ (300 years of the baroque castle). Since the Bern aristocrat Albrecht Friedrich von Erlach (1696-1788) remodelled the ‘old Veschti’ into an elegant baroque castle in 1720, the exterior of Jegenstorf Castle has remained virtually unchanged. After completion of the façade restoration and restructuring works in the park in preparation for the castle’s 300th anniversary, in 2020 and 2021 the current owner, the Jegenstorf Castle Foundation (Stiftung Schloss Jegenstorf), is inviting the public to join in the celebration of this cultural monument of national importance. The current exhibition ‘300 years – 30 objects’ is accompanied by events (see website) and new educational programmes: the drama tour ‘Audienz in Stärnebrächts Residenz’ (An audience in Stärnebrächt’s residence) and the interactive tour ‘Ancien Régime – auf Spurensuche im Barockschloss’ (Ancien Régime – searching for clues in the baroque castle) for school groups. In May 2021, the major special exhibition ‘Wahrhaft fantastisch! 300 Jahre Barockschloss’ (Truly fantastic! 300 years of the baroque castle) will be opened.