Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann

side chairs:

Madame Ruhlmann

Van Beuningen family, acquired from the above in 1947

DeLorenzo Gallery, New York

Acquired from the above by the present owner, 2003

armchairs:

DeLorenzo Gallery, New York

Acquired from the above by the present owner, 2003

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)

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.