Lot 275
  • 275

Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann

Estimate
200,000 - 300,000 USD
bidding is closed

Description

  • Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann
  • Eight "de Becker" Side Chairs, model 84 NR and Two “Lecannelé” Armchairs, Model 129 NR, variant
  • two side chairs and one armchair branded Ruhlmann
  • macassar ebony, fabric upholstery

Provenance

Side chairs:
Madame Ruhlmann
Van Beuningen family, acquired from the above in 1947
DeLorenzo, New York
Acquired from the above by the present owner, 2003
Armchairs:
DeLorenzo, New York
Acquired from the above by the present owner, 2003

Literature

Florence Camard, Ruhlmann:  Master of Art Deco, New York, 1983, p. 257 (for the side chairs)
Ruhlmann: un génie de l'Art déco, exh. cat., Musée des Années 30, Paris, 2001, p. 108 (for the side chairs)
Emmanuel Bréon and Rosalind Pepall, Ruhlmann: Genius of Art Deco, Paris, 2004, p. 110 (for the model in Ruhlmann's firm, Paris)
Florence Camard, Ruhlmann, Paris, 2009, p. 205 (for the side chairs)

Catalogue Note


Ruhlmann was praised as the Riesener of the 20th Century, a designer whose innovation, elegance, and masterful technical ability are testaments to his genius. In his furniture designs, satisfying his patrons' desire for style and comfort was Ruhlmann’s highest priority. Notes from his workshop show the multiple corrections made to the "de Becker" model, adjusting the thickness of the legs, width of the seat, and measurement of the back by a few millimeters to realize the best-engineered and aesthetically dynamic form that also delivered maximum comfort.

This model was considered one of Ruhlmann's most outstanding achievements, and he himself used this chair model in his office at rue de Lisbonne in Paris.