cabinet de toilette

In the cabinet de toilette to the left of the alcove stands the chaise percée: a simple wooden model with a ceramic bidet bowl. Placing the pierced chair in a separate cabinet de toilette was a new custom in the 18th century. Before that, the chairs were simply placed in the room, behind a curtain. Next to the chaise percée is the autoclystère or clysopompe. This enema syringe was used for constipation, a common ailment among the 18th-century elite, who ate lavishly and exercised little. The tube was filled with oil and warm water. By sitting on the pin and pumping, one could operate it oneself. It is therefore not surprising that the cabinet de toilette was sometimes called the chambre de misère or misery room. Through the other door of this small cabinet de toilette, we return to the hallway.