Ernest Cognacq and his wife Louise Jay's 18th-century art collection, showcased in the Hôtel de Donon, includes oil paintings, pastels, sculptures, objets d’art, jewellery, porcelain and furniture. Despite Cognacq's lack of appreciation for the pieces, claiming he bought them only for the status, they still offer an interesting insight into the preferences of the upper classes during the Age of Enlightenment.