Ref.03165
The table coming from an exceptional furniture set realized by Moses Michelangelo Guggenheim for the Palazzo Papadopoli in Venice, Italy

Also presented in the Salone delle Quattro Porte, this table was made in the same style as the other pieces, that is to say respecting the style of sixteenth century Venice. Also presented in the Salone delle Quattro Porte, this table was made in the same style as the other pieces, that is to say respecting the style of sixteenth century Venice. It is made of carved wood and the shelf, in marble, is embedded in the wood, considerably enriching the whole. Again, this is a real showpiece for the quality and fineness of the sculpture. All four legs are connected by a X-shaped spacer whose center shows the representation of a kind of amphora with a lid in encrusted enamel. The pedestal, delicately fluted, echoes the lower part of the body of the vase that is fluted. Below, a frieze of interlaced foliage is set against a texturized background. This background, produced thanks to a special hammer with small spikes called a bush hammer, does not catch the light in the same way as the smoother parts of the wood. In this way one can perceive the extreme attention given to this sculpture. The vase is topped by a cover whose primary element is a blooming flower. The cover is in turn covered with scales. The handles, in their upper parts appear to be true plants. In the lower bracket, they are of masks of men who take their place. The four feet balusters are also a very nice quality. Based on a round foot, their central part is represented by a kind of vase mounted on a pedestal. These elements are delicately carved with festoons and monsters: Pan heads are connected by interlaced ribbons. Again, the bottom is textured, keeping the attention and the light on the carved elements on the smooth surface. The four feet are completed in their upper part by elements winding on themselves and carved with interlacing. The shelf rests on corbels, an architectural element that is normally used to support the cornices. The modillion differs from the corbel because it is a sculpted part, as we see in this table. Here they are covered with acanthus leaves ending in a coil. On the recesses, the masks of bearded men are displayed on winding leather motifs.

Ref.03172
A monumental Display Cabinet coming from an exceptional furniture set realized by Moses Michelangelo Guggenheim for the Palazzo Papadopoli in Venice, Italy

This monumental display cabinet is composed of three windows, designed to exhibit fine china and other sophisticated crockery, a custom revealed by the period photographs. The high society of the time collects objects of art and priceless tableware, and enjoys to show them to the guests while preserving them in this precious and imposing case. A true ceremonial piece, this opulent dresser was arranged in the reception hall that once was the Salone delle Quattro Porte in Palazzo Papadopoli . The smaller surface of this piece is pretext for an abundance of carvings that confirm the prestigious nature of it. The numerous sculptures are the work of an extremely skilled sculptor. The vertical uprights are decorated with images of old sheathed bearded men. The sheath is the support for a foliage frieze that ends with a scroll. The protruding cornice rests on corbels, representing a vocabulary of ornamental architecture. It supports four vases with lids and an armorial pediment flanked by two griffins and crowned with a cardinal's hat: it is a hat with a flat, wide-brimmed shape and from which hang large silk cords. Between the cornice and the window, a carved frieze of festoons alternates with monsters. Shells are arranged above the festoons. The extreme quality of the sculpture and the much-sought decor is indicative of the work of an exceptional sculptor, whose mastery was unrivaled. The coat of arms on this dresser is the Aldobrandini's, whose most famous member was Pope Clement VIII, between 1592 and 1605. Having his nephews quickly appointed cardinal in order to enlarge the Aldobrandini's power, we owe this very Pope the concept of « nepotism », « nepote » being the Italian for nephew. The Aldobrandini, from Florence, increased their wealth during the Middle Ages and adopted the coat of arms azure per bend embattled or and six stars or. Since 16th century it is framed with the cardinals symbols, just like it is on this amazing dresser : a broad brimmed hat with tassels, the galero. Agostino Caracci, brother of considerable Anibal Caracci, designs this exact coat of arms for the cardinal Cinzio Aldobrandini. The Aldobrandini heraldy is sculped on many Italian buildings, it is for example carved with the galero in the Aldobrandini Chapel of Ravenna's Duomo. Used by Clement VIII, it is often seen with the papal keys, like in Santa Maria Maggiore where his gravestone was designed by the illustrious sculptor Bernino, and on the coins minted with his blazon. An Aldobrandini descent from his mother Maria Maddalena, Nicolo Aldobrandini-Papadopoli wished to preserve the memory of this lineage in the Palazzo Papadopoli decoration.

Ref.03167
A sumptuous sculpted credenza coming from an exceptional furniture set realized by Moses Michelangelo Guggenheim for the Palazzo Papadopoli in Venice, Italy

This unique cabinet in two parts forms a credenza in its lower part. The base consists of a background decorated with three rectangular molded panels. The shelf rests on two armored and winged lions sculpted in the round. Their massive limbs are as impressive as their mouths, which seem to be more like dragons than those of lions. The quality of the sculpture is evident in the representation of hairs, scales that cover their chests and the extremely muscular necklines. The upper part of the credenza consists of two panels alternating with three women depicted in the bust and ending with a sheath and a sculpted wreath of acanthus leaves. Both panels are entirely sculpted: a fantasy architecture, inhabited by a bulging muscled putti supported by two griffins, shelters a medallion sculpted with a trophy of arms. The two panels meet symmetrically while the backings of the piece are also decorated with sculpted panels with motifs of arms trophies. The entablature has a frieze of festoons alternating with masks and encircled by shell motifs. Each sculpted panel has a texturized bottom, which increases the relief of the sculpted motifs and plays with the light on the prominent parts. Each surface of this cabinet is covered with carvings, in a kind of horror of emptiness that is typical of the 19th century interiors. The shape, inspired by the two-pieced cabinets of the Renaissance, has an affirmed architectural structure associated with an abundance of sculptures of dazzling skill. There is a real attention to woodworking, which offers stunning carved designs through their quantity and quality of execution.   In the nineteenth century in Europe, production of manufactured goods underwent an unprecedented growth: the decorative arts become the "arts applied to industry." Production of decorative arts in the second half of the nineteenth century faced dilemma: how to reconcile art with the appearance, around 1850, of mechanization and industrialization? How to reconcile traditional craftsmanship and mass production? Some, like the Guggenheim in Venice, were convinced that an alliance was possible, even necessary, between art and industry. It was necessary to reflect on the ways to produce artworks of extraordinary quality and that would still be able to profit from the possibilities offered by the evermore efficient technical means. In many factories, this was demonstrated by the collaboration between artists and manufacturers. In Stabilimento d'Arti Decorative e Industriali, Guggenheim himself occupied all these positions: antiques buff, he had built a personal culture second to none and used his library and his personal collection of artwork as a repertoire of designs that needed to by studied and understood. This was characteristic of the time, which held the conviction that the renewal of decorative arts was inseparable from the study of historical styles. The direct inspiration of these past decors shows a great passion for history, quite representative of Guggenheim .

Ref.03168
The seats coming from an exceptional furniture set realized by Moses Michelangelo Guggenheim for the Palazzo Papadopoli in Venice, Italy

Two armchairs and four chairs in carved walnut wood. This set is coming from the Palazzo Papadopoli, Venice, Italy, "Salone delle Quattro Porte" which was totally refurnished between 1874 and 1881 by Moses Michelangelo Guggenheim . The armchairs and the chairs of this set are produced in the same way with the difference that the armchairs are fitted with sculpted armrests. The base is made of four legs resting on round feet. The two front feet are tapered and fluted in their middle part, similar to columns. The architectural language here adopts an ornamental theme. The two back legs are from a square section. The feet are connected to each other by a spacer in the shape of an H, decorated in its center with an image of acanthus leaves. The frame of the seat is carved from a frieze of small flowers taking place in flowery containers. The main surface is decorated with a plant motif hanging from this frame. In the center of this motif is a crown of a duke. The uprights of the back are represented in an identical manner on all the chairs. The upper part shows the busts of sheathed women carved in very high relief and ending with an acanthus leaf. They rest on a console which again depicts the crown of the duke.The handles of the two chairs are a beautiful work of sculpture, notably through the back attachment where a winding acanthus leaf is represented. The grips protrude from the arms and show the heads women with extravagantly made up hair.

Ref.10697
Julien-Nicolas RIVART (1802-1867) - Sewing table decorated of white and purple campanulas in porcelain marquetry

This elegant sewing table is decorated of flowers in porcelain inlays by Julien-Nicolas Rivart . The latter is the inventor of the porcelain marquetry technique, a unique process, searched for a long time and patented in 1849, he was the only one to master. We have here a graceful example of these rare decorations, with a bouquet of campanulas on a burl wood background, framed by a mahogany lace.

Ref.10718
Julien-Nicolas RIVART (1802-1867) - Louis XV style Rosewood Table with decor of porcelain marquetry

Bibliography : Marc Maison and Emmanuelle Arnauld, Masterpieces of Marquetry in the 19th Century. Patents. Rivart, Cremer, Fourdinois, Kayser Sohn and Duvinage, Dijon, Faton, 2012, p. 5 and 46. Characteristic of Julien-Nicolas Rivart 's production, this Louis XV style table is adorned with inlays of porcelain flowers, a technique he patented in 1849. Inspired by both porcelain slabs inserted in wood panels, into fashion in the 18th century, as well as Florentine mosaics in hard stone, Julien-Nicolas Rivart succeeded to develop an original technique, totally renewing the use of porcelain by inlaying it like a true marquetry, where each element is independent. The naturalism of peonies flush on the wood surface gives this piece of furniture a great elegance, demonstrating all the skill of the artist, who resorts to a virtuoso technique of ornamentation, of extremely delicate implementation. The finest foliage, made of dyed resin, ensures an elegant connection between the different pieces of porcelain. Rivart 's favorite theme, the floral motifs can be seen on other tables, notably that purchased in 1861 by the Count of Manneville on the occasion of his wedding and preserved today at the Cité de la Ceramique of Sèvres. Like our table, it is decorated with a garland of flowers, shut by a bronze border running all the way along the shelf. The painting of the inlaid flowers is not signed; we can however attribute it to Pierre-Joseph Guérou , painter of the Manufacture de porcelaine de Sèvres in 1847 and 1848 whose signature appears on several pieces of furniture by Rivart , like the Jewel case of the Empress Eugénie at the Château de Compiègne. A specialist in porcelain flower paintings, he also participated several times at the Salon between 1836 and 1866. The treatment of the petals in pink and white shades is characteristic of his style, which is easily recognizable. Much appreciated by the critics for the charm of its porcelain marquetry, the Rivart technique was noticed at the World's Fairs he attended in 1851, 1855 and 1867. It is called a "delicious process", "still more beautiful than the beautiful", and is the subject of praiseworthy comments from the Emperor Napoleon III.

Ref.15462
Joseph Chéret (1838 - 1894) for the Manufactory of Sèvres "Putto with greek masks" Coin tray made in faience with a blue glaze

This coin tray was made in blue glazed faience in the 19th century by the manufacture of Sèvres, after an artwork of Joseph Gustave Cheret (1838-1894). This sculpture represents a putto with two Greek comedy masks. The first one, sitting at its foot, is a woman's mask of a courtesan called 'pseudokoré'. The putto is holding the other one in his arms, it is the mask of a bearded man called 'pornoboskos'. The putto is partially covered with a drape. At his feet are severals musical instruments : a flute, some bells and a tambourine, with the signature 'Joseph Cheret Saw'. Another mark 'CH FICQUENET. - Sevres' is on the side. Cheret is an important sculptor of the 19th century. He was trained by the famous Carrier-Belleuse. This very gifted student eventually married one of the daughters of his mentor in 1868. From 1863 he regularly presented works in different Fairs and Exhibitions. We owe him the first salamander design, which he realized in collaboration with the Chaboche Company. This object is inspired by sculptures depicting putti or young satyrs having fun with Greek comedy masks. Very popular in the imperial Rome period, these images are experiencing a revival during the Renaissance and then in the 19th century during eclecticism. It is particularly representative of the 19th century taste, especially by its material: a blue glazed faience. At that time, ceramic techniques were very popular. This blue can be compared to 'Deck blue', used by Théodore Deck at the same time.

Ref.16929
Antique Neo-Renaissance style dining room made out of carved walnut with grotesques and fantastics animals decor

This neo-Renaissance dining room includes: - A carved walnut dresser with grotesques. H: 181.5 cm; W: 162.5 cm; D: 65.5 cm (71.5 x 64 x 25.9 in) - A carved walnut table with grotesques and leafy designs. H: 76 cm; W: 170 cm; D: 90 cm (30 x 67 x 35.4 in) - 6 carved walnut chairs with padding, 5 with white and green stripes and 1 mint green, with two different figures topping each chair. H: 101.5 cm; W: 51.5 cm; D: 44.5 cm (40 x 20.3 x 17.5 in). This dining room corresponds to the Neo-Renaissance style . The 19th century is known as the century of “eclecticism” in decorative arts, during which artistic styles from past centuries were rediscovered and mixed together to create original objects, furnishings, and monuments. Certain styles are particularly historicist, like the “neo-Gothic” style, the “neoclassical” style, and the “neo-Renaissance” style. The Paris Hôtel de Ville (town hall) is a prime example of French neo-Renaissance architecture. Grotesques and mythical creatures are typical Renaissance motifs. The table and chairs have nicely carved, straight legs and an H-shaped leg structure, which was invented during the Renaissance. The many straight lines and angles are typical of the “classicist” Renaissance. The caryatids on the dresser topped with ionic capitals and the arcades underneath the table also refer to the Ancient elements reused during the Renaissance. The two bodies dresser almost looks like two trunks – which may have been how the first “buffets” were created at the beginning of the Renaissance. Moreover, the dresser's multiple drawers give it a typical Renaissance-style structure.

Ref.11095
Neoclassical style pedestal table made out of Carrara marble

This white marble Neoclassic pedestal table was made in the 19th century. The circular plate rests on a fluted barrel itself placed on a square base.

Ref.11153
Small serving table in the taste of Gabriel Viardot

The top, bordered by asymmetrical windings, and the shelves are decorated with panels decorated with enamelled flowers and birds on a pink background. It opens to a belt drawer, partially animated by a gallery openworked with Chinese motifs. Feet carved in lion's feet, joined by asymmetrical shelves.

Ref.12464
Louis XV style gilt wood console and Carrara marble slab

This beautiful Louis XV style console made at the end of the 19th century shows beautiful curved lines an abundant sculpture typical of the Rococo style. It lays on four feet reunited by a strut from which spouts a rich decoration in relief composed of acanthus leaves scrolls. The feet are also adorned with acanthus leaves scrolls and mascarons on the upper corners. The belt depicts the same openwork decoration framing a medallion in which a face is represented. The sculptural quality of our elegant console is remarkable as much as the game between abundance and emptiness that balance the whole.

Ref.13171
CRISTALLERIE DE BACCARAT, Neo-Greek, krater-shaped vase, made out of coated crystal, and etched through hydrofluoric acid, 1867 World’s Fair

This krater-shaped vase made out of coated crystal is a work from the Baccarat crystal-glass making factory, between 1862 and 1867, year when similar models were displayed at the Parisian World’s Fair. It is the Baccarat manufacture’s second entry, the first being at the first Parisian World’s Fair of 1855. Baccarat does win a gold medal, in particular for two vases made out of ruby red crystal, and a crystal fountain of seven meters high. Created under Louis XV’s reign, the crystal-glass making factory got its international fame through its participations, all along the 19th century, and until 1937, to the World’s Fairs.he works of the manufacture are scarcely signed between 1764 and 1860, year where the first labels did appear punctually. Fifteen years later, a seal with the name of the firm is placed on some blowing models and gilded bronze pieces. It is not until 1936 that the « BACCARAT » brand, with a carafe and two glasses, started appearing systematically on every production. During the 1867 World’s Fair, Baccarat inspired itself from the Bacchus cult for most of its production. We can see in our vase the influence of ancient ceramics through the shape of a krater – a piece of ceramics used by Greeks to dilute wine with water – as well as in the composition and the decoration’s subject. The latest is engraved thanks to hydrofluoric acid, a technical mastered by the German chemist Louis Kessler in 1855, who did improve the chemical formula of the bath to make it less aggressive and thus, less dangerous. Baccarat bought the patent in 1864, allowing the manufacture to diverse its production and to reach a new level of virtuosity. Detaching themselves from an opaque, white background, pink colored figures are represented in the spirit of ancient decorations on ceramics. We can see on one face a maenad wearing a spinning drapery, holding a drinking cup in one hand and a thyrsus in the other – a stick similar to a scepter and crowned with a pine cone, Dionysus’s attribute. On the other side, two figures are placed face to face, a masculine and a feminine one. They might represent the divine couple of Dionysus and Ariadne : she is sat on an ancient seat, richly dressed, and addressing the half-naked young man that is also carrying a thyrsus. In order for this decoration to be perfect, the two figurative scenes are framed with different patterns : palm motif, interlacing, Greek key frieze and laurel leaves.The handles have been realized after : they were shaped in clear crystal, and then adorned with gold painting applied with a brush. Even if, until today, our vase is the only one known showing this krater shape and the color rose, other similar models, with similar decorations, does exist – in particular in blue and yellow. Moreover, this bacchanal scene on an opaque white background have been applied on other pieces produced by the firm, that can be seen in museums’ collections, such as the Corning Museum of Glass, the Chrysler Museum of Norfolk, the Musée d’Orsay or at the Petit Palais.

Ref.12794
Japanese stand made of blackened wood, late 19th century

This high Japanese stand is a French work from the late 19th century made of blackened wood. The base with four feet is adorned with open worked motifs inspired by the Far-East iconography. The long rod which leaves from the base has on top the same sculpted motifs and a small rectangular shelf.

Ref.11381
Gabriel VIARDOT (attributed to) - Asymmetrical cabinet with rich engraved and sculpted decoration of extreme oriental inspiration

The creation circa 1870-1880 of this asymmetrical Japanese wardrobe in sycamore and bronze is attributed to the leader of the Japonisme in France, the furniture maker Gabriel Viardot (1830-1904). This attribution is allowed because of the high making quality of the furniture and by stylistic comparison to other signed pieces of drawn in the archives sketchbook. Gabriel Viardot starts his career in the Jeanselme furniture workshop, furnisher of the Napoleon III court, before starting his own as a wood sculptor in 1849. He was then already the head of a small sculptors team even though he was only 19 years old. He opens in 1853, a workshop and a wood furniture and decorative objets shop located on the 36 and 38 rue Rambuteau in Paris. At this time, Gabriel works with his brother, Alexandre-Laurent, under the company name “Viardot Frère & Cie”. Seven years later, in 1860, he creates his own workshop « G. Viardot », on the 5 rue du Grand-Chantier, and takes the direction of the family business until 1872. He decides then to dedicate his production to the Chinese-Japanese furniture that he had observed during the 1867 World Fair. His characteristic furniture production was made with lacquered panel sent directly from China or Japan, often adorned with Tonkin mother of pearl inlays. The furniture were next lightened up with decorative bronzes of which the models were created by himself. Gabriel Viardot participates to many exhibitions that mark the artistic scenes of the second half of the 19th century. Each participation was successful, indeed, he wins in the 1878 World Fair a silver medal, then in 1855 in Antwerp and in Paris in 1889 and 1900 gold medals. He also participated to the exhibitions of the Union Centrale des Arts Décoratifs where he is in a class of his own and jury member from 1884. In the middle of the 1880’s, his company employed between 90 and 100 furniture makers and sculptors trained by himself. He also employs almost 20 subcontractors. From 1890, he creates furniture models for the famous decorative arts and furniture company, l’Escalier de Cristal. Indeed, we can read on Henry Pannier’s notebooks, the Viardot name associated to the description of some furniture. Viardot organizes his succession on the 26thDecembre 1890 by creating the "G. Viardot et Cie", company in which he associates his two children. When he dies in 1906, they take the direction of the workshop.

Ref.11379
Gabriel Viardot (attributed to) - Japanese style bed with mother-of-pearl marquetery

This bed was made of tainted sycamore in the late 19th century in the taste of Gabriel Viardot or Maison des Bambous production. The bed is surmounted by a canopy with sculpted japanese motifs of which one of the mount in adorned with a coiled cherry tree branch. the headboard shows a sculpted decoration of bird in a flowered branched surrounding and mother-of-pearl motifs of flowers and foliages. The foodboard shows a cared decoration of plants and clouds, a dragon in relief and mother-of-pearl and bone marquetery.

Ref.13946
A pedestal table with a very rare enamel decoration from the Rubelles faience factory

Our rosewood veneered pedestal table, with a top decorated with shading enamels of a beautiful deep green, is a truly exceptional piece. Made between 1842 and 1844, this enamel decoration is the work of the artistic earthenware factory of Rubelles, near Fontainebleau. Possibly withdrawn from the Exhibition of Commerce and Industrial Products in 1844, our pedestal table is the only example known to date. At the end of the 19th century, his creations were highly prized by connoisseurs who competed for them “at a high price”. They were compared to the most beautiful English porcelain. Very rare, this decoration is made of lithophanic earthenware, a technique developed by Baron de Bourgoing in association with Alexis du Tremblay, owner of the Château de Rubelles. Directors of the Rubelles Manufacture, the two partners exploited this original process for around fifteen years. It allows you to obtain transparency effects in porcelain. The drawings are rendered in gradients, from opaque shadows to very translucent lights.

Ref.11261
Gabriel VIARDOT (attributed to), Japanese furniture with mother-of-pearl inlaid panels, late 19th century

This Japanese-style piece of furniture is perfectly in keeping with the work of cabinetmaker Gabriel Viardot at the end of the 19th century. A talented woodcarver, Gabriel Viardot opened a furniture factory and shop in Paris in 1853. In the 1870s, he decided to devote himself to “Chinese-Japanese furniture”, of which this piece is a fine example. In the lower section, the doors incorporate two imported panels with mother-of-pearl inlays, depicting Sakura and butterflies, symbols of eternity in Far Eastern cultures. The back of the open central section is adorned with a refined bas-relief depicting a tree branch in bloom and a bird in flight. At the top, the asymmetry of the shelves is reminiscent of Japanese cha’dansu (or tea cabinets); some are closed with a mother-of-pearl inlaid panel. The crowning, typical of the artist, takes the shape of a pagoda roof and houses a menacing-looking dragon. The many carved and mother-of-pearl-inlaid details scattered across the surface of the piece reveal the finesse of Viardot’s work. Another piece of furniture, a drawing of which is preserved in the artist’s archives, has a very similar crowning.

Ref.15745
RIBAILLER and MAZAROZ, Pair of walnut statues of a hunter and a fisherman, after the 1855 Universal Exhibition

This pair of sculptures of hunters was presented on their sheaths. This type of installation is typical of an exhibition, and was used to showcase the sculptor's skills. It should be noted, however, that these figures were designed to decorate a piece of furniture purchased by Napoleon III and presented at the 1855 Universal Exhibition, as indicated in the catalogue for the exhibition Jean-Paul Mazaroz, un artiste et amateur éclairé au temps de Courbet [Jean-Paul Mazaroz, an enlightened artist and amateur at the time of Courbet] at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Lons-le-Saunier in 2003. The piece was a phenomenal success at the Exhibition, and the Ribaillier-Mazaroz company produced numerous copies, always using the same composition. In other words, the two figures were always depicted in the same way as on the original piece of furniture, as described by the Magasin pittoresque: "On the lower left-hand capital is a fisherman holding a net in one hand, a handful of fish and river plants in the other, and wearing fishing tackle on his belt; on the right-hand capital, a hunter throws a hawk on his wrist and holds a beautiful greyhound looking down at a shot bird. He is carrying a bag of game and a trunk". Mazaroz is an unusual character. Born in Lons-le-Saunier and a friend of the painter Gustave Courbet, Paul Mazaroz was a patron of the arts, a sculptor and the author of sociological and economic essays. He joined Ribaillier's studio in Paris and became his partner after marrying his daughter in 1853. This was the beginning of a collaboration that would steer the Ribaillier-Mazaroz factory towards modernity. Following the Universal Exhibition of 1851, Mazaroz discovered the use of machines in cabinet making, as practised by the English. He was the first to use it in France. From then on, he liked to call himself an ‘industrial artist’. This desire to be firmly rooted in his time and its progress led him to publish a photographic collection of his workshop's creations, instead of a simple catalogue of engravings. A supplier to Napoleon III, his company was one of the most prosperous industries of the Second Empire and the Third Republic.

Ref.11158
Armchair by PROUVÉ Jean, to be proven as by Prouvé

Our seat is an office chair with armrests in imitation leather and folded steel sheet. Its dimensions are H. 82 cm, L. 62.7 cm, D. 50 cm. Our model is similar to one in the Centre Pompidou collection (inv. AM 2007-1-144) and bears a striking resemblance to the furniture designed in 1936 in collaboration with Jules Leleu for the Geoffroy Martel sanatorium in Janville. The Cantilever Chair Museum of Tecta, a German furniture manufacturer with whom Jean Prouvé worked in the early 1980s, has a unique example of an office chair which has legs identical to ours.When Jean Prouvé left the Maxéville workshops near Nancy, much of his correspondence, plans and drawings were destroyed. While much research into the architect's work has suffered as a result of this loss, recent access to the Prouvé archives does not rule out new discoveries. The proximity to Prouvé's chairs, the existence of unique examples and the significant loss of archives allows us to nuance the lack of conclusive documentation concerning our armchair. It has yet to be proven as by Prouvé.

Ref.16067
Antonio Salviati (Vicenza, 1816 – Venice, 1890), attributed to Mosaic portrait of Bernard Palissy

Trained as a lawyer, Antonio Salviati developed a keen interest in glassmaking and mosaic production. In 1859, after contributing to the restoration of the mosaics of St Mark’s Basilica, he founded his first glass and mosaic workshop. In 1866 he established a second company—Salviati & Cie—which he later divided into two distinct branches: glassmaking on the one hand and mosaic production on the other. Salviati was entrusted with major commissions. His firms produced the mosaic glass for the reredos of the high altar at Westminster Abbey (1866–1867), took part in the restoration of the Palatine Chapel in Aachen, executed exterior mosaics for the Opéra Garnier, and contributed to the decoration of the Albert Memorial, inaugurated in 1872. Salviati’s enterprise also became renowned for reviving the traditional glassmaking of Murano. This mosaic portrait depicts the French ceramist Bernard Palissy (1510–1590). Celebrated for his polychrome dishes and basins decorated with animals in relief, Palissy is shown here dressed in 16th-century attire. Rendered in a three-quarter view, he holds in his hands a “rustique figuline,” the term he used to describe his own creations. An eel or serpent can be discerned on the surface of the basin, recalling examples such as MR 2293 or R 231 preserved at the Musée du Louvre. In a similar spirit, Salviati supplied the tesserae for the mosaic portrait of Abraham Lincoln executed by Enrico Podio in 1866, now held in the United States Senate. Public appreciation for the meticulous craftsmanship of mosaicists has been particularly strong in Italy since the 16th century. While the 18th century renewed the fashion for micro-mosaics in precious luxury objects, the 19th century restored mosaic art to its status as a public art form—just as it had long been in Salviati’s native Venice. Through his entrepreneurial spirit, the lawyer-turned-master glassmaker played a central role in the resurgence of mosaic art in Europe between 1866 and 1890.