Bed (for Jane Renouardt residence, Saint Cloud, France) (Primary Title)
Lit soleil (sun bed) (no. 542AR-807NR) (Model Name)
Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, French, 1879 - 1933 (Designer)
Jules Deroubaix, ( headboard) (Maker)
Ruhlmann et Laurent, French, 1919 - 1933 (Manufacturer)
In 1930 Jane Renouardt, a celebrated French stage actress and the director of the Théâtre Danou, commissioned this bed from Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann. Known as the Sun Bed, it is made of white oak and veneered in a highly polished Macassar ebony. Ruhlmann’s craftsmanship is evident in the dramatic pattern of the headboard. Ruhlmann’s records note that one of his craftsmen worked 252 1/2 hours to make this bed, which cost the incredible amount of 11,375 francs, about half of his annual salary. Another extravagant piece of furniture for Renouardt is an ebony and mother-of-pearl cabinet by Süe et Mare in this gallery.
Marked (headboard, back): Ruhlmann; (footboard, back): Ruhlmann (twice); (footboard, bottom): B
Gift of Sydney and Frances Lewis
Shifman, Barry. Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau, Art Deco: Selections from the Sydney and Frances Lewis Decorative Arts Galleries at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Richmond, VA: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 2015. p. 180-1.
Fiona Baker and Keith Baker. 20th C Furniture (London: Carlton Books, 2000) pg. 123, illus. (Noted as similar to 85.130)
Patricia Bayer, "Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Master of French Art Deco," Portfolio, September/October 1981. pg. 69, illus.
Frederick R. Brandt. Late 19th and Early 20th Century Decorative Arts. The Sydney and Frances Lewis Collection in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 1985) pp. 230-231, mo 95;
Emmanuel Breon and Rosalind Pepall. Ruhlmann: Genius of Art Deco (Montreal: Somogy Editions D'Art, 2004) pg. 25, illus.
Emmanuel Breon. Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann: The Designer's Archives (Flammarion, 2004) pg. 74 illus., pg. 75 illus., no. 542 illus.
Janet Caggiano, "Dust Me," Richmond Times Dispatch, Sunday, April 24, 2005.
Florence Camard. Jacques Emile Ruhlmann (New York: Rizzoli, 2011) pg. 332, illus.
Pierre Kjellberg. Art Deco (France: Editions de l'Amateur, 1998) pg. 163, illus.
Sotheby's. Arts Decoratifs du xxe Siecle & Design. November 25, 2009. pg. 24, no.
Florence Camard. Ruhlmann: Master of Art Deco (New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc,, Publishers, 1999). pg. 180, illus. "Lady's Bedroom, 1927-28.)
Judith Griffin and Penny Collins. Wear Your Chair: When Fashion Meets Interior Design (Fairchild Books, 2007) pg. 105, illus.
Diane Von Furstenberg. Beds (New York: Bantam Books, 1991) pg. 132, illus.
John Morley. Furniture: The Western Tradition (Thames & Hudson, 1999) pg. 325, no 676 "The 'Sun' bed" Auction Catalog. no. 147.
Silas Kopf. A Marquetry Odyssey: Historical Objects and Personal Work (New York: Hudson Hills Press, 2008) pg. 149, no. 175 "Sun Bed (1930)"
L' Hotel Drouot. Les Meubles de Ruhlmann: Un Retour en Force. March 9, 1973. Auction Catalog pg. 2, illus.
James S. Wamsley, "Antiques: From Exotic Forests," Architectural Digest, August 1985.
Christie's New York. Important Furniture, Silver, Books and Decorative Arts from the Collection of William A. McCarty-Cooper. January 25, 1992. Cover photo, pg. 163.
Christie's New York. Important 20th Century Decorative Art & Design. June 13, 2013;
Frederick Brandt, "Art Deco: Patrons and Designers," Apollo, Dec. 1985, p. 465, pl. x;
Fiona Baker and Keith Baker. 20th C Furniture (London: Carlton Books, 2000) pg. 123, illus. (Noted as similar to 85.130)
Patricia Bayer, "Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Master of French Art Deco," Portfolio, September/October 1981. pg. 69, illus.
Frederick R. Brandt. Late 19th and Early 20th Century Decorative Arts. The Sydney and Frances Lewis Collection in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 1985) pp. 230-231, mo 95;
Emmanuel Breon and Rosalind Pepall. Ruhlmann: Genius of Art Deco (Montreal: Somogy Editions D'Art, 2004) pg. 25, illus.
Emmanuel Breon. Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann: The Designer's Archives (Flammarion, 2004) pg. 74 illus., pg. 75 illus., no. 542 illus.
Janet Caggiano, "Dust Me," Richmond Times Dispatch, Sunday, April 24, 2005.
Florence Camard. Jacques Emile Ruhlmann (New York: Rizzoli, 2011) pg. 332, illus.
Pierre Kjellberg. Art Deco (France: Editions de l'Amateur, 1998) pg. 163, illus.
Sotheby's. Arts Decoratifs du xxe Siecle & Design. November 25, 2009. pg. 24, no.
Florence Camard. Ruhlmann: Master of Art Deco (New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc,, Publishers, 1999). pg. 180, illus. "Lady's Bedroom, 1927-28.)
Judith Griffin and Penny Collins. Wear Your Chair: When Fashion Meets Interior Design (Fairchild Books, 2007) pg. 105, illus.
Diane Von Furstenberg. Beds (New York: Bantam Books, 1991) pg. 132, illus.
John Morley. Furniture: The Western Tradition (Thames & Hudson, 1999) pg. 325, no 676 "The 'Sun' bed" Auction Catalog. no. 147.
Silas Kopf. A Marquetry Odyssey: Historical Objects and Personal Work (New York: Hudson Hills Press, 2008) pg. 149, no. 175 "Sun Bed (1930)"
L' Hotel Drouot. Les Meubles de Ruhlmann: Un Retour en Force. March 9, 1973. Auction Catalog pg. 2, illus.
James S. Wamsley, "Antiques: From Exotic Forests," Architectural Digest, August 1985.
Christie's New York. Important Furniture, Silver, Books and Decorative Arts from the Collection of William A. McCarty-Cooper. January 25, 1992. Cover photo, pg. 163.
Christie's New York. Important 20th Century Decorative Art & Design. June 13, 2013;
Frederick Brandt, "Art Deco: Patrons and Designers," Apollo, Dec. 1985, p. 465, pl. x;
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