ST MORITZ, SWITZERLAND, – The guests dining at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel’s elegant Le Restaurant aren’t the only noteworthy subjects in the room. The walls of this almost 100-year old dining room are adorned with a historic and valuable wallpaper called “Eldorado” made by the world famous wallpaper factory Zuber & Cie.

History buffs may recall that Zuber rose to fame thanks to First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who decorated the reception room in the White House with the scenic mural "Vue de l'Amérique Nord,” from 1834. Zuber has also been featured frequently on Architectural Digest, the international design authority, gracing the homes of celebrities like Brooke Shields, and politicians like New York’s Mayor Bloomberg.

The “Eldorado” features a world utopia with four continents: South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. These are represented by the city of Vera Cruz, a Southern Alpine lake, the Bosporus strait, and the Pyramids and Sphinx, respectively.

Three artists created the Zuber famed wall décor: Eugène Ehrmann, Georges Zipélius and Joseph Fuchs, in 1849. Their combined talents in color chemistry, flora artistry and creative landscapes led to the design of this historical piece of art. The resulting mural became such a hit that they had to keep producing new batches, including one in 1904, from which the “Eldorado” in Le Restaurant is thought to have originated. It was incorporated into the prestigious dining room in 1913. Patrons with an artistic eye have noticed that the brilliant sky in this masterpiece, produced with tempera paints, runs from sky blue into beige in such a skilful way that it creates a fascinating depth of colour.

History aficionados will be keen to learn that Zuber et Cie is the last remaining international factory to print wallpaper using woodblocks. The French manufacturer has an archive of 100,000 carved woodblocks from the 18th and 19th centuries. These antique woodblocks are classified as French national treasures.

An interesting interior design fact is that one of Zuber’s scenic murals, “Les guerres d’indépendence,” is 15 m wide and consists of 32 lengths and, at a cost of $40,500 USD, is considered the most expensive wallpaper in the world.

Photos can be downloaded here.