Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann: Genius of Art Deco

      

Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann

 "The work of Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann (1879–1933) epitomizes the glamour of the French Art Deco style of the 1920s. Aesthetic refinement, sumptuous materials, and impeccable craftsmanship place his work on a par with the finest furniture and decorative arts of any era. The most renowned designer of his day, Ruhlmann could provide any element needed for an interior, from the furniture to the lighting, ceramics, carpets, and textiles. This retrospective examines all aspects of the legendary designer's career, augmenting the Metropolitan Museum’s own significant holdings of Ruhlmann’s works with major loans from public and private U.S. and international collections. The exhibition also provides a unique opportunity to see the best of Art Deco."

[Text from the introduction to the 2004 Ruhlmann: Genius of Art Deco exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC]

There are many wonderful resources for getting to know more about Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann and the Art Deco movement. You can find links to several of them below: 

1.  Art Deco Complete by Alastair Duncan
2.  Art Deco Furniture: The French Designers by Alastair Duncan
3.  The Ruhlmann website created by Frank Pollaro as a tribute to his mentor
4.  Ruhlmann: Genius of Art Deco  exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2004
5. A Marquetry Odyssey by Silas Kopf ('Art Deco' on Page 144  and 'Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann' on page 145 )

Ruhlmann Pavilion at 1925 Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes

"The man who has had the greatest influence on designer-craftsmen of furniture in the last 100 years is undoubtedly Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann" writes Silas Kopf. "He stood in a long line of great French decorative artists and led the way with innovative ideas, energetic designs, and uncompromising quality. He was a compete decorateur, providing clients with a total look for the interior."

Silas Kopf - page 144 of A Marquetry Odyssey

Sideboard: Meuble De Char (1922) Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann

For more images and information about this topic click on the button below

Marquetry Masters Presenting At 2010 Furniture Society Conference

The 2010 Furniture Society Conference, Fusions: Minds and Hands Shaping Our Future

The conference will convene June 16-19 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. The cultural richness of Boston with its many galleries, museums and educational institutions will greatly enhance the 2010 conference proceedings taking place on the MIT campus.

MIT Stata Center







The 2010 Furniture Society Conference, Fusions: Minds And Hands Shaping Our Future

Fusions is all about the fluid relationships between mind and hand, tool and material, maker and client, technique and theory. In focusing on the theme of fusion—the merging of diverse, distinct elements into a unified whole—the conference will bring together makers and designers, collectors, educators and curators to address the role of furniture in today's society as well as the historical context and future of contemporary furniture.

For complete information go to this link for the Furniture Society website.

For more information about the inlay arts presenters, go to the 'Read more' link:

Marc Adams School of Woodworking is in session

Marc Adams

I just received Karen Clifton's latest post from Karen's Cafe blog at Marc Adams School of Woodworking.

What a happening place for woodworkers! The classes that I've listed below are being taught by some of the world's best contemporary marquetry and inlay artists.

A Great Offering of Woodworking Instructors     

From Karen's post: "We have a GREAT offering of instructors this week at Marc Adams School of Woodworking.

Alf Sharp, Stephen Proctor and Silas Kopf are here this week to lend their genius to students. I know Alf and Stephen fairly well…at least well enough to give em’ a great big hug. Silas I had just met at lunch today..."

Marc and his daughter

 To learn more about the inlay arts instructors and their courses at Marc Adams School of Woodworking click the 'Read more' link:

Silas Kopf - A Marquetry Odyssey

"Demystifying marquetry and bringing it into the 21st century is welcome and timely. It's wonderful that the person who is 'best at it' is open to sharing his uncommon vision."

Wendell Castle, furniture artist

From the review on Amazon: 

"Neatly interwoven with chapters on the evolutionary history of inlay and marquetry, Silas Kopf takes us on a fascinating journey of how his own work has evolved. His influences are concisely documented and it is intriguing to see how they have been absorbed into his many and varied masterpieces. In the finest of colour plates, the reproductions of historically significant works as well as a comprehensive catalogue of Silas' own work, are simply magnificent. Whether your interest is in the history of wood as a form of decoration through the ages, or how one master craftsman soaked up this history and developed into a major figure in the making of 'art furniture' as it can only be described, it is all here in abundance.

With a thirst for knowledge and desire to learn, Silas took every opportunity to travel and work with major figures in furniture making as well as study at the famous l'Ecole Boulle in Paris. Clearly happy to tell us of the help he's had along the way, the revealing story he tells of his own development makes the reading even more enjoyable.

On top of all this, there are appendices on technique which, I'm sure any reader will find of great interest, whether a practitioner or not. How appropriate for this to be called an 'Odyssey', it certainly is the most adventurous of journeys. A must buy - and a super read."

Article about Silas Kopf

Silas Kopf' and his Marquetry Art 

Silas in his studio