Armchair
1899-1900 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
The cabinet-maker Louis Majorelle was one of the most influential designers of the Art Nouveau movement. He trained as a painter before inheriting his father's cabinet-making business in Nancy, France, in 1879. At first he continued to make furniture in the popular Rococo Revival style, but during the 1890s he came under the influence of Emile Gallé at the Ecole de Nancy and began to design slender pieces of furniture--such as this armchair--ornamented with carving and marquetry, using naturalistic floral motifs and forms. Although the carving of the walnut frame on this chair is relatively simple, the design is carefully considered to give the effect of flowing, branch-like forms.
Though Majorelle considered structure and proportion more important than decorative ornament, and constantly sought new forms for his furniture, he also became a highly original designer of ornament. His early work with Rococo Revival design may have been one reason for his facility in designing free-flowing, elegantly curved forms. He used plant forms as inspiration but re-interpreted them as sophisticated, semi-abstract motifs. The silk upholstery on this chair, which exactly reproduces its original cover, illustrates clearly how he used nature as an inspiration but not directly as a model.
Though Majorelle considered structure and proportion more important than decorative ornament, and constantly sought new forms for his furniture, he also became a highly original designer of ornament. His early work with Rococo Revival design may have been one reason for his facility in designing free-flowing, elegantly curved forms. He used plant forms as inspiration but re-interpreted them as sophisticated, semi-abstract motifs. The silk upholstery on this chair, which exactly reproduces its original cover, illustrates clearly how he used nature as an inspiration but not directly as a model.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Carved walnut, stained; back and seat covered with embroidered and painted satin with a fringe (reproduction of the original upholstery) |
Brief description | French, 1899-1900, d.& m. Majorelle, Donaldson Col |
Physical description | Arm chair of carved walnut stained green; the back and seat are covered with embroidered and painted mauve satin enriched with a fringe, a reproduction of the original upholstery. The front supports of the arms are carried backwards and downwards to meet the back legs at foot level, providing a diagonal stretcher at the sides of the chair. The semi-circular, pediment-shaped top of the back is decorated in openwork with wavy leaves and flowers. The back which is continuous with the seat is stuffed and the satin covering is painted with leaves and stalks bearing flowers embroidered in white silk; the outer side of the back is also covered with satin. The feet of the front legs are in the form of leaves. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Gallery label |
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Credit line | Given by Sir George Donaldson |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | The cabinet-maker Louis Majorelle was one of the most influential designers of the Art Nouveau movement. He trained as a painter before inheriting his father's cabinet-making business in Nancy, France, in 1879. At first he continued to make furniture in the popular Rococo Revival style, but during the 1890s he came under the influence of Emile Gallé at the Ecole de Nancy and began to design slender pieces of furniture--such as this armchair--ornamented with carving and marquetry, using naturalistic floral motifs and forms. Although the carving of the walnut frame on this chair is relatively simple, the design is carefully considered to give the effect of flowing, branch-like forms. Though Majorelle considered structure and proportion more important than decorative ornament, and constantly sought new forms for his furniture, he also became a highly original designer of ornament. His early work with Rococo Revival design may have been one reason for his facility in designing free-flowing, elegantly curved forms. He used plant forms as inspiration but re-interpreted them as sophisticated, semi-abstract motifs. The silk upholstery on this chair, which exactly reproduces its original cover, illustrates clearly how he used nature as an inspiration but not directly as a model. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | 2001-1900 |
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Record created | November 27, 2000 |
Record URL |
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