Émile Gallé is chiefly known for his glass, ceramics, and furniture in the French Art Nouveau style. He promoted a design style based closely on nature and plant forms. Gallé’s furniture usually had a specific theme, and in the museum’s sideboard it is autumn. Harvest scenes appear in the panels on the lower doors, gilded-iron wheat sheaves form the drawer pulls, and carved-wood wheat sheaves flank the top half of the cabinet. The enlarged gilded-iron snowflakes and twisted stems at the center suggest the coming of winter. Paul Holderbach, who was in charge of Gallé’s sculpture studio, created the gilded-iron mounts, and August Herbst designed the marquetry panels. This sideboard was displayed at the Salon of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1903.
Inscribed (on bottom of proper left door): Galle;
on door, proper left side: Salon des Beaux Arts - 1903
Sydney and Frances Lewis Art Nouveau Fund
Displayed at the Salon of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, Paris, 1903
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.
