{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O49610"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O49610/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AP2627/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AP2627/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AP2627","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O49610/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O49610","accessionNumber":"2001-1900","objectType":"Armchair","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The cabinet-maker Louis Majorelle was one of the most influential designers of the Art Nouveau movement. He trained as a painter before inheriting his father's cabinet-making business in Nancy, France, in 1879.  At first he continued to make furniture in the popular Rococo Revival style, but during the 1890s he came under the influence of Emile Gallé at the Ecole de Nancy and began to design slender pieces of furniture--such as this armchair--ornamented with carving and marquetry, using naturalistic floral motifs and forms. Although the carving of the walnut frame on this chair is relatively simple, the design is carefully considered to give the effect of flowing, branch-like forms.\r\n\r\nThough Majorelle considered structure and proportion more important than decorative ornament, and constantly sought new forms for his furniture, he also became a highly original designer of ornament. His early work with Rococo Revival design may have been one reason for his facility in designing free-flowing, elegantly curved forms. He used plant forms as inspiration but re-interpreted them as sophisticated, semi-abstract motifs. The silk upholstery on this chair, which exactly reproduces its original cover, illustrates clearly how he used nature as an inspiration but not directly as a model.","physicalDescription":"Arm chair of carved walnut stained green; the back and seat are covered with embroidered and painted mauve satin enriched with a fringe, a reproduction of the original upholstery. The front supports of the arms are carried backwards and downwards to meet the back legs at foot level, providing a diagonal stretcher at the sides of the chair. The semi-circular, pediment-shaped top of the back is decorated in openwork with wavy leaves and flowers. The back which is continuous with the seat is stuffed and the satin covering is painted with leaves and stalks bearing flowers embroidered in white silk; the outer side of the back is also covered with satin. The feet of the front legs are in the form of leaves.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Majorelle, Louis","id":"A5654"},"association":{"text":"designer and maker","id":"x34662"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"walnut","id":"AAT12476"},{"text":"silk","id":"x30127"},{"text":"satin","id":"AAT132902"}],"techniques":[{"text":"staining","id":"AAT53058"},{"text":"embroidering","id":"AAT53653"},{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"},{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved walnut, stained; back and seat covered with embroidered and painted satin with a fringe (reproduction of the original upholstery)","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[{"text":"Art Nouveau","id":"AAT21430"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006AP2627"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES342657"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Armchair","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Nancy","id":"x29017"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1899-1900","earliest":"1899-01-01","latest":"1900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Sir George Donaldson","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"128","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"74","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"82","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken from departmental catalogue.  Not checked on object","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"French, 1899-1900, d.& m. Majorelle, Donaldson Col","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"George Donaldson, 'The Victoria and Albert Museum. Gift of \"New Art\" Furniture for Circulation', <i>The Magazine of Art</i>, 1901, pp. 466-471 (illus.).\n\nValérie Thomas, 'L'École de Nancy au Victoria &amp; Albert Museum: Une difficile reconnaissance', <i>Arts Nouveau</i>, no. 31 (Sept. 2015), p. 15, fig. 7."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"R.Davis Benn, 'The New Art in France'. Style in Furniture.  London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1904, plate LXXXVIII,  facing p. 294."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"flowers (plants)","id":"AAT132399"},{"text":"leaves","id":"x34654"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Europe and America 1800-1900, room 101\n\nART NOUVEAU ARMCHAIR\n1899-1900\n\nShown at the International Exhibition, Paris, 1900\n\nThe French Art Nouveau furniture shown at the Paris 1900 exhibition did not impress British commentators. They thought it was too decorative and disregarded the rules of honest design. When Sir George Donaldson presented the V&amp;A with his gift of furniture purchased at that exhibition there was an outcry. This armchair, however, won lukewarm approval for its 'comparative simplicity'.\n\nFrance, Nancy; designed and made by Louis Majorelle\nStained walnut; replacement satin upholstery\n\nGiven by Sir George Donaldson","date":{"text":"05/08/2015","earliest":"2015-08-05","latest":"2015-08-05"}},{"text":"ARMCHAIR\r\n\r\n2001-1900\r\n\r\n'American and European Art and Design 1800-1900' \r\n\r\nEnglish commentators were not impressed by the French Art Nouveau furniture shown at the Paris 1900 Exhibition, and Sir George Donaldson's gift of furniture from that exhibition to the Victoria & Albert Museum created an outcry. However the <font -i>Cabinet-Maker and Art Furnisher</font> singled out this armchair for approval on grounds of its 'comparative simplicity'.\r\n\r\nGiven by Sir George Donaldson","date":{"text":"1987-2006","earliest":"1987-01-01","latest":"2006-12-31"}},{"text":"Europe and America 1800-1900, room 101\r\n\r\nART NOUVEAU ARMCHAIR\r\n1899-1900\r\nShown at the International Exhibition, Paris, 1900\r\n\r\nFrance, Nancy; designed and made by Louis Majorelle \r\n\r\nWalnut, carved and stained; replacement satin upholstery\r\n\r\nMuseum no. 2001-1900\r\nGiven by Sir George Donaldson\r\n\r\nThe French Art Nouveau furniture shown at the Paris 1900 exhibition did not impress British commentators. They thought it was too decorative and disregarded the rules of honest design. When Sir George Donaldson presented the V&A with his gift of furniture purchased at that exhibition there was an outcry. This armchair, however, won lukewarm approval for its 'comparative simplicity'.","date":{"text":"2006","earliest":"2006-01-01","latest":"2006-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["2001-1900"],"accessionNumberNum":"2001","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1900,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LV9975"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-17","recordCreationDate":"2000-11-27","availableToBook":true}}