A Stained Wood Library Table by Gabriel Viardot, Circa 1870-1880

Gabriel-Frédéric Viardot (1830-1906)

Viardot and his brother Louis-Gustave established “Viardot Frères et Cie” in 1835, opening a furniture store on the rue Rambuteau in Paris where they first showcased their abilities as ébénistes and wood carvers. After exhibiting at the Universal Exhibition of 1855 on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, Gabriel opened his own studio in Paris in 1860, establishing a workshop at 5, rue du Grand-Chantier under the name “G. Viardot”. The following year in 1861, he also assumed the direction of his family firm from his father Charles. By 1870, Viardot specialized in exotic furniture influenced by Chinese and Vietnamese styles and adapted to his own distinctive aesthetic.

In the course of the following four decades, Viardot won numerous awards including four medals at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1867, a silver medal in 1878, and gold medals at the Paris Exposition of 1889, the World Exhibition of Antwerp in 1885, and the World’s Fair of 1900. In recognition of his numerous accolades and achievements in furniture design, he was promoted to the rank of Knight in the Legion of Honor on December 29, 1885.