Dragonfly Table (Primary Title)
Guéridon Libellules (Translation)

Émile Gallé, French, 1846 - 1904 (Artist)

1898–1902
French
Mahogany, rosewood, fruitwood, mother-of-pearl
Overall: 29 3/4 × 25 1/4 in. (75.57 × 64.14 cm)
2016.137

Best known for his glass, ceramics, and furniture in the French Art Nouveau style, Gallé employed more than three hundred people in his workshops by 1900. While he designed this piece, specialists in his workshops created several versions based on the model. Here, three massive dragonflies, a favorite motif of Art Nouveau artists, serve as supports for the table. The tabletop features a lake scene, with a dragonfly perched on a plant in the foreground. A dragonfly table almost identical to this one was first presented at the Salon of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris (1898) and later at the Exposition Universelle (1900).

Marquetry signed: Gallé
Gift of Benedict Silverman
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC

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