Display Case
ca. 1900 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Edouard Colonna designed this showcase for the entrepreneur Siegfried (Samuel) Bing. Bing’s gallery in Paris, 'L'Art Nouveau', gave its name to the style of design and decoration that swept through Europe in the years around 1900. The showcase shows the spare, abstract motifs, based on natural forms, that were the hallmark of the style.
Art Nouveau furniture was often made in tropical hardwoods, with very delicate carving. On this piece, the same motifs have been carried out in a more substantial fashion on the oak stand, which would withstand heavy use in a popular commercial gallery.
Colonna had a long and varied career as a freelance designer. He studied in Brussels but moved to the USA in 1882, where he designed railroad cars, among other things. He later worked in Canada. In 1898 he settled in Paris, where he worked for Bing and for several other firms, designing ceramics and jewellery as well as furniture.
Art Nouveau furniture was often made in tropical hardwoods, with very delicate carving. On this piece, the same motifs have been carried out in a more substantial fashion on the oak stand, which would withstand heavy use in a popular commercial gallery.
Colonna had a long and varied career as a freelance designer. He studied in Brussels but moved to the USA in 1882, where he designed railroad cars, among other things. He later worked in Canada. In 1898 he settled in Paris, where he worked for Bing and for several other firms, designing ceramics and jewellery as well as furniture.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Oak, with metal and glass |
| Brief description | Vitrine, made by Edouard Colonna, designed for Siegfried Bing, France, ca. 1900. |
| Physical description | A rectangular table showcase, of metal, with sloping sides, mounted on a carved oak stand constructed as a table, with carved frieze panels on all four sides, the four legs carved in shallow relief with elongated scrolls and decorative mouldings. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Gallery label |
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| Summary | Edouard Colonna designed this showcase for the entrepreneur Siegfried (Samuel) Bing. Bing’s gallery in Paris, 'L'Art Nouveau', gave its name to the style of design and decoration that swept through Europe in the years around 1900. The showcase shows the spare, abstract motifs, based on natural forms, that were the hallmark of the style. Art Nouveau furniture was often made in tropical hardwoods, with very delicate carving. On this piece, the same motifs have been carried out in a more substantial fashion on the oak stand, which would withstand heavy use in a popular commercial gallery. Colonna had a long and varied career as a freelance designer. He studied in Brussels but moved to the USA in 1882, where he designed railroad cars, among other things. He later worked in Canada. In 1898 he settled in Paris, where he worked for Bing and for several other firms, designing ceramics and jewellery as well as furniture. |
| Bibliographic reference | Greenhalgh, Paul (Ed.), Art Nouveau: 1890-1914 . London: V&A Publications, 2000
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.24:1, 2-1975 |
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| Record created | November 27, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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