Louis Majorelle

LOUIS MAJORELLE (Toul, France, 1859–Nancy, 1926).
Two-tiered side table, ca. 1900.
Walnut wood, with floral marquetry and brass handles.
Signed on the left side.
Exhibits wear consistent with age and use.
Measurements: 82 x 95 x 58 cm.

The table consists of two rectangular surfaces with gently undulating profiles, joined by four slender legs that curve at the level of the lower shelf. This shelf features two brass handles that reinforce its function as a serving table.

Both tabletops feature floral marquetry compositions, consisting of branches, leaves, and flowers arranged with a pronounced asymmetry. The continuity of the curved lines and the integration of the plant ornamentation into the structure reflect the naturalistic style of Art Nouveau and the École de Nancy. The use of walnut and marquetry made from various woods is also documented in Majorelle’s furniture preserved at the Musée d’Orsay.

The son of a furniture maker, Majorelle trained in Nancy and later at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. After his father’s death, he returned to Nancy to run the family business, steering its production toward Art Nouveau under the influence of Émile Gallé. Beginning in the 1890s, he incorporated naturalistic marquetry and emblematic motifs such as water lilies, thistles, and dragonflies. In 1900, he also established his own blacksmith’s workshop to produce metalwork and hardware in keeping with his designs.