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Lot Essay
Through his extraordinary personality, the incomparable quality of his work, and the abundance of his production, Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann stands as the undisputed master of Art Deco. Just as Louis Majorelle is inseparably associated with the elegance of the style 1900, Ruhlmann embodies the style 1925 and its harmony, precision, and sumptuous restraint. He was not merely a maker of furniture, but a true ensemblier: conceiving and executing complete interiors in which every element, furniture, draperies, carpets, lighting, and decorative objects, formed part of a unified vision.
This holistic approach first captivated Paris in 1913 at the Salon d’Automne, where Ruhlmann unveiled a dining room and circular gallery of intimate alcoves. Critics, both startled and enchanted, hailed the work’s ingenuity and daring. As M.-P. Verneuil observed in Art et Décoration, it revealed “the effort and research that went into it (…) and the desire to break away from the familiar at all costs.”
In the decade that followed, Ruhlmann emerged as the preeminent interpreter of high French taste in the modern age. His name became synonymous with aesthetic refinement, the rarest materials, and craftsmanship so exacting it rivaled the greatest achievements of the 18th century, a period that continuously inspired his most celebrated designs. He famously declared, “To create something that lasts, the first thing is to want to create something that lasts forever,” a philosophy shaping in every curve, joint, and surface he conceived.
The present ensemble from the Edlis Neeson Collection embodies this legacy with extraordinary breadth and coherence, unfolding like a private salon conceived by the master himself. One is first greeted by the the warm glow of a ‘Bouillotte’ table lamp (lot 37) while richly woven carpets (lot 9 and lot 35) ground the space with sumptuous texture. At the heart of the ensemble, the rare ‘Hydravion’ armchairs (lot 7) and extremely rare sofa (lot 8) evoke the aerodynamic elegance and forward-looking spirit of the 1920s. Anchoring the interior, the commanding ‘Cannelée à redents’ commode (lot 10) and pair of stools (lot 36) stand as architectural statements: monuments of proportion, precision, and luxury that embody Ruhlmann’s vision of the complete work of art.
The 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris confirmed Ruhlmann’s reign, placing him at the very center of the movement that defined an era. Today, as the centennial of this landmark event approaches, his work speaks with renewed resonance, not only as a pinnacle of design history, but as a touchstone of connoisseurship and cultural refinement.
Ruhlmann’s patrons were cosmopolitan, visionary, unfailingly attuned to beauty and sought more than decoration. They commissioned icons as they lived within works of art. The scarcity of these masterpieces today only deepens their allure, and to encounter one is to step into a world where design, craftsmanship, and vision meet in perfect equilibrium: a world Ruhlmann created and that continues to inspire the most discerning collectors a century later.
This holistic approach first captivated Paris in 1913 at the Salon d’Automne, where Ruhlmann unveiled a dining room and circular gallery of intimate alcoves. Critics, both startled and enchanted, hailed the work’s ingenuity and daring. As M.-P. Verneuil observed in Art et Décoration, it revealed “the effort and research that went into it (…) and the desire to break away from the familiar at all costs.”
In the decade that followed, Ruhlmann emerged as the preeminent interpreter of high French taste in the modern age. His name became synonymous with aesthetic refinement, the rarest materials, and craftsmanship so exacting it rivaled the greatest achievements of the 18th century, a period that continuously inspired his most celebrated designs. He famously declared, “To create something that lasts, the first thing is to want to create something that lasts forever,” a philosophy shaping in every curve, joint, and surface he conceived.
The present ensemble from the Edlis Neeson Collection embodies this legacy with extraordinary breadth and coherence, unfolding like a private salon conceived by the master himself. One is first greeted by the the warm glow of a ‘Bouillotte’ table lamp (lot 37) while richly woven carpets (lot 9 and lot 35) ground the space with sumptuous texture. At the heart of the ensemble, the rare ‘Hydravion’ armchairs (lot 7) and extremely rare sofa (lot 8) evoke the aerodynamic elegance and forward-looking spirit of the 1920s. Anchoring the interior, the commanding ‘Cannelée à redents’ commode (lot 10) and pair of stools (lot 36) stand as architectural statements: monuments of proportion, precision, and luxury that embody Ruhlmann’s vision of the complete work of art.
The 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris confirmed Ruhlmann’s reign, placing him at the very center of the movement that defined an era. Today, as the centennial of this landmark event approaches, his work speaks with renewed resonance, not only as a pinnacle of design history, but as a touchstone of connoisseurship and cultural refinement.
Ruhlmann’s patrons were cosmopolitan, visionary, unfailingly attuned to beauty and sought more than decoration. They commissioned icons as they lived within works of art. The scarcity of these masterpieces today only deepens their allure, and to encounter one is to step into a world where design, craftsmanship, and vision meet in perfect equilibrium: a world Ruhlmann created and that continues to inspire the most discerning collectors a century later.