Mudroom & Entry Storage · Art Nouveau
Louis Majorelle Gilt-Wood Bench (c. 1900)
A gilt-wood bench by Louis Majorelle made in Nancy around 1900, with gently curving legs and frame inspired by 18th-century Rococo seating, upholstered in Japanese brocade.
Design characteristics
Around 1900, Art Nouveau designers in France looked back to the flowing curves of mid-18th-century Rococo furniture. This Majorelle bench shows that blend: a light, curving gilded frame with carved details at the knees and rails. As a reference for an entry or mudroom bench, it shows how a few curves in the legs and apron can turn a simple seat into a decorative piece.
Classification
- Style
- Art Nouveau
- Category
- Mudroom & Entry Storage
- Material
- Gilt
- Motifs
- Floral carving
- Date
- c. 1900
- Maker or designer
- Louis Majorelle (French, 1859–1926)
- Recorded medium
- gilt wood
- Dimensions
- Overall: 75 x 118.1 x 40.7 cm (29 1/2 x 46 1/2 x 16 in.)
- Evidence
- Documented historical object
- Source
- Cleveland Museum of Art
Architectural context
Whiplash curves, botanical carving and woodwork that flows into the structure. Europe · c. 1890–1910.
