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

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