Style Japonism, Chinoiserie / Ref.16097

Louis MAJORELLE (attrib. to), Collector’s display cabinet

This very beautiful display cabinet with nuances of Far East inspiration is completely in the taste of pieces produced around 1870 – 1880, after the 1867 World Exposition that brought the development of Japanese and Asian productions to European soil. Evidence of this, this display case is also characteristic of the Japanese production of Louis Majorelle. In fact, the construction, very elaborate, is completely asymmetrical and evokes a feeling of virtuosity. The shelves with scrolls as well as the hollow vertical uprights are distinctive signs of furniture pieces by Perret and Vibert. Finally, the use of ivory and mother of pearl decorative elements, taken from Far Eastern furniture manufacturers, tends to demonstrate the commitment of this creator to authenticity.

Louis Majorelle (1859 – 1926) Louis Majorelle was born in 1859. At this time, his father, Auguste, already had an occupation in making earthenware and lacquered furniture. His occupation consisted of decorating the pieces using the technique of Vernis Martin and decorating them in a far-eastern style. The masterpiece of Auguste Majorelle in Vernis Martin is a grand piano, conserved today in the Musee de l’Ecole de Nancy. Made by the Maison Mangeot de Nancy, this piano was shown at the 1878 World Exposition. For this occasion, Auguste Majorelle filed a patent for an inlay technique using earthenware on a lacquered décor, which the piano mentioned above, is the most known and exceptional example of. Auguste Majorelle died shortly after his son, Louis, joined the family line by continuing the creation of lacquered and Japanese-style furniture. At the 1889 World Exposition, he presented various examples of his work. This very beautiful collector’s display case is entirely characteristic of the production of Louis Majorelle, before becoming the champion of Art Nouveau furniture.