LOUIS MAJORELLE (1859-1926). - Lot 146

LOUIS MAJORELLE (1859-1926). Carved beech pedestal table with floral decoration, the three-lobed top resting on a tripod base, the legs tapered and ribbed. The central tray is missing. Art Nouveau period. H_71 cm L_52 cm Louis Majorelle (1859-1926) was a French cabinetmaker and designer emblematic of Art Nouveau and the Nancy School. Born in Toul, he studied at the Beaux-Arts in Paris before taking over the family business in Nancy in 1879. His furniture stands out for its blend of carved wood, naturalistic marquetry and metal elements, often inspired by local flora with organic forms such as water lilies and dragonflies. In 1900, he exhibited at the Paris World's Fair, where he gained national recognition, then became vice-president of the École de Nancy. Between 1901 and 1902, he had the Villa Majorelle built, a masterpiece of Art Nouveau architecture now classified as a historic monument. After the destruction caused by the First World War, he moved to Paris, where he remained until his death in 1926. His work remains a major reference for French decorative art of the early XXᵉ century.