Le Nid de l'Aigle [The Eagle's Nest] thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Le Nid de l'Aigle [The Eagle's Nest]

Cabinet
ca. 1900 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This cabinet was one of the pieces of furniture exhibited by Louis Majorelle at the Paris International Exhibition in 1900. It helped to establish his reputation as the leading designer and maker of furniture in the fashionable Art Nouveau style, which looked to nature rather than to historical styles for inspiration.

The cabinet is not directly based on any historical precedent. Its decoration with a tree motif, curving mounts representing plants and horizontal bands of veneer shows Majorelle's skill in creating furniture in the new style.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleLe Nid de l'Aigle [The Eagle's Nest] (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Veneer of coromandel (macassar ebony) and carving in walnut, with marquetry panel in birch, elm, oak, zebrano, rosewood, padouk and other woods, on an oak and possibly mahogany carcase, with wrought iron mounts
Brief description
Walnut and oak veneered cabinet with coromandel (macassar ebony) enriched with marquetry of various woods, wrought-iron mounts, made by Majorelle, Louis, France (Nancy), 1900
Physical description
Cabinet with cupboard in upper section above open compartment with protruding shelf and lower cupboard. Door of upper cupboard with marquetry panel showing man sailing boat with seagulls and cliffs in background. Inscribed and signed on top of shelf:
"L. Majorelle/nancy." The cabinet is veneered in coromandel (macassar ebony) with carving in walnut.
Dimensions
  • Height: 180cm
  • Width: 86cm
  • Depth: 50cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
'Majorelle Nancy.' (Signature; signed in marquetry)
Gallery label
  • Europe and America 1800-1900, room 101 ART NOUVEAU CABINET 1900 Shown at the International Exhibition, Paris, 1900 In exhibiting this cabinet at the Paris 1900 exhibition, Majorelle established his reputation as the leading Art Nouveau furniture designer. Its decoration shows his skill in creating furniture in the new style. The various elements include a tree motif, horizontal bands of veneer and curving mounts representing plants. France, Nancy; designed and made by Louis Majorelle Kingwood veneer and carved kingwood and purpleheart, on an oak and possibly mahogany carcase, with marquetry of various woods; wrought iron mounts Given by Sir George Donaldson (05/08/2015)
  • Europe and America 1800-1900, room 101 ART NOUVEAU CABINET 1900 Shown at the International Exhibition, Paris, 1900 France, Nancy; designed and made by Louis Majorelle Kingwood veneer and carved kingwood and purpleheart, on an oak and possibly mahogany carcase, with marquetry of various woods; wrought iron mounts Museum no. 1997-1900 Given by Sir George Donaldson In exhibiting this cabinet at the Paris 1900 exhibition, Majorelle established his reputation as the leading Art Nouveau furniture designer. Its decoration shows his skill in creating furniture in the new style. The various elements include a tree motif, horizontal bands of veneer and curving mounts representing plants.(2006)
  • Gallery 9, 1987: Signed 'L. Majorelle, Nancy', this cabinet was shown at the Paris 1900 Exhibition. Its combination of pictorial marquetry and naturalistic carving reflects the influence of Emille Gallé (1846-1904), the leader of the Ecole de Nancy.
Credit line
Given by Sir George Donaldson
Object history
Shown at the Exposition Universelle (the International Exhibition) in Paris, 1900, and purchased by Mr Donaldson from the exhibition for presentation to the Museum. This design of cabinet was produced more than once. There is another version in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (museum no. 2005.525).
Subject depicted
Summary
This cabinet was one of the pieces of furniture exhibited by Louis Majorelle at the Paris International Exhibition in 1900. It helped to establish his reputation as the leading designer and maker of furniture in the fashionable Art Nouveau style, which looked to nature rather than to historical styles for inspiration.

The cabinet is not directly based on any historical precedent. Its decoration with a tree motif, curving mounts representing plants and horizontal bands of veneer shows Majorelle's skill in creating furniture in the new style.
Bibliographic references
  • Baker, Malcolm, and Brenda Richardson (eds.), A Grand Design: The Art of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London: V&A Publications, 1999.
  • Donaldson, George, The Victoria and Albert Museum. Gift of "New Art" Furniture for Circulation. The Magazine of Art, 1901, pp. 466-471 (illus.)
  • Valérie Thomas, 'L'École de Nancy au Victoria & Albert Museum: Une difficile reconnaissance', Arts Nouveau, no. 31 (Sept. 2015), p. 14, fig. 5.
Collection
Accession number
1997-1900

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Record createdJanuary 15, 2003
Record URL
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