ÉMILE-JACQUES RUHLMANN (1879-1933)

Faced with boredom and stagnation, French designers of the 1910s were seeking new artistic styles. Debuting his work in 1913, Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann was at the heart of the French search for modernity. The previous year, the French Chamber of Deputies voted to hold a major international exhibition intended to elevate the reputation of French decorative arts. Due to the war and other obstacles, the exhibition took over a decade to produce, resulting in the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. A smashing success, the exhibition exceeded expectations and gave way to the emerging Art Deco movement of the 1920s and 1930s.

Ruhlmann was a detailed designer from his initial sketches through execution. He was known for carrying a sketch book with him at all times and laboring over his furniture sketches, sometimes taking up to eight years to execute a work. Ruhlmann experimented with his designs, seeking to achieve an equilibrium in form and proportion in his design. He sought to create harmonious beauty in his work that could be admired in its overall effect. Ruhlmann's sketches for his famous Hôtel du Collectionneur for the 1925 Exposition Internationale date back to 1919, showing he spent over five years on the plans. The pavilion introduced Ruhlmann and his designs to a wide audience, increasing not just his popularity but also the status of contemporary French design. Ruhlmann included a cabinet closely related to the present lot in the dining room of the Hôtel du Collectionneur. A beautifully executed work, the present lot wonderfully exemplifies Ruhlmann's keen eye for proportion and grandeur.