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Take the above-mentioned Karel Appel. This Dutch abstract expressionist is reportedly the owner's favorite artist, so it's no wonder two of his paintings are onboard. One hangs to port of the bed in the aft VIP cabin on the lower deck; the neutral tones of the oak cabinetry, bleached-oak sole, and combination of lacquered and leather-covered bulkheads ensure it's duly appreciated. The other Appel takes center stage in the dining area, and its vibrant yellows and oranges are echoed in the warm tones of the lacquered bulkhead supporting it as well as the chairs around the dark-stained oak table. And the placement of a benchseat to starboard, beneath the deep windows, shows how even furniture placement was carefully considered to focus attention on the art.
The master suite picks up on that latter concept particularly well. Forward on the main deck, the owner's domain is comprised of a study/relaxation area to starboard and a beamy stateroom fully forward. By stretching out on the inviting lounge in the study, Saramour's owner can ponder the influence of Rembrandt in the engravings by Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, a.k.a. il Grechetto, a 17th-century Italian artist who is often credited with creating the monotype print-making technique. Within the stateroom itself, the owner is greeted by paintings by the surrealist Giorgio De Chirico and painter/sculptor/writer Salvatore Fiume, carefully hung on the bulkhead behind the bed (and highlighted by overhead lights positioned so as to avoid reflection). Various glassworks by a handful of different artists are also on that bulkhead as well as across from the foot of the bed.
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The owner didn't forget about the rest of his guests, of course. A twin cabin and an additional VIP, both on the lower deck, are adorned with paintings whose colors are subtly replicated in the fabrics and other decorative goods; and odd as it may seem, works by Dali hang in each stateroom's en suite head. And while it departs somewhat from the art-gallery theme, it is noteworthy that the traditional fourth guest stateroom has been replaced with a gym that's open to the base of the stairway from the main deck as well as the hallway that leads to the other staterooms.
Whether they're fresh from a workout or an evening elsewhere aboard Saramour, guests will appreciate how the common areas make for a miniature Museum of Modern Art. The skylounge, with its large windows and low furniture, will certainly be a popular gathering spot, and even on days calling for indoor activity, it will remain cheery. A large abstract painting (large enough to be a wall panel unto itself), bursting with vivid oranges, blues, greens, and more, is situated on the forward bulkhead, with a benchseat and a lounge in tones of creamy yellow, orange, and ivory in front of it for meditative scrutiny. One deck below, the saloon is highlighted by colorful ceramic plates mounted on the aft bulkheads, with a curving settee to port and chairs to both sides, all grouped to permit easy conversations across the room.
The name for the armchairs brings up an interesting story. They're called Topkapi, which the manufacturer selected in honor of Topkapi Palace, the home to nearly every Ottoman sultan over the course of four centuries. Considered "the Palace of Felicity," it was radically different from both European and Islamic palaces of its time, thanks to its asymmetrical proportions. In that respect, it's hard to overlook the similarities between the palace and Saramour. In at least one guidebook, Topkapi Palace is classified as sui generis (alternately pronounced soo-eye-JEN-ur-us or soo-ee-JEN-ur-us), something that's in a class of its own. And among semicustom yachts—indeed, even some custom yachts—Saramour is certainly that.
CRN
(561) 568-3430
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This article originally appeared in the January 2006
issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.
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