Art Nouveau Nancy Art Nouveau Or the Ecole De Nancy Background

Home , Alexandre Bigot, Henri Sauvage, Jugendstil, Louis Majorelle, Villa Majorelle

COLLECTION PATRIMOINE ART NOUVEAU NANCY ART NOUVEAU OR THE ECOLE DE NANCY BACKGROUND

 Art Nouveau a single object to background buildings or first appeared at industrial series), was where an private villas, as the end of the and the desire for unprecedented well as works of 19th century in modernisation artistic centre art and furniture several European by relying on emerged. in the city cities and ended innovative museums, all bear with World War I. techniques and In 1901, Émile Gallé witness even Unlike other art materials, offering gave a status to today to this rich movements where greater freedom the movement and free artistic painting holds a in the shapes. by creating period. dominant place, the Alliance This proliferation Art Nouveau is In Nancy, a Provinciale des contributed to characterised transition Industries d’Art making Nancy NANCY by its use in occurred after and named it the a capital of Art decorative arts the Annexation École de Nancy. Nouveau in ART NOUVEAU and architecture. of Alsace and Several artists Europe. Also referred to the Moselle. were part of it: as “Modernisme”, The population Gallé, as well as In the middle of “Jugendstil”, of Nancy grew Louis Majorelle, the 19th century, “Liberty” and from 50,000 in Antonin Daum, after 200 years “Secession” in 1870 to 120,000 Victor Prouvé, of isolation, different cities, in 1914. Among Jacques Gruber, Japan opened its the movement the new arrivals Eugène Vallin, borders to the covered various were artists, and many others outside world. forms. However, industrialists, too. They worked The discovery of what all these investors and their talents on new aesthetics variants had in skilled labour. The the most varied triggered a common was that city transformed, of materials to veritable culture they drew their with rampant transform day-to- shock. Fascinated inspiration from urbanisation and day settings into Western artists nature, modes of structures. This works of art. took inspiration production (from effervescent Shops, banks, from them to

1871 ▶ 1894 ▶ 1900 ▶ 1901 ANNEXATION OF FIRST EXHIBITION OF PARIS CREATION OF THE ALSACE-MOSELLE, LORRAINE DECORATIVE WORLD’S FAIR ASSOCIATION “ÉCOLE ARRIVAL OF THE ARTS AT THE POIREL DE NANCY, ALLIANCE OPTANTS IN NANCY GALLERY PROVINCIALE DES INDUSTRIES D’ART” make their own creations. Sent on a mission to Europe by the Ministry of Agriculture, painter and botanist Hokkai Takashima visited Nancy between 1885 and 1888. During these years, he forged close bonds of friendship with the artistic community of Nancy, which, through his work, opened itself to the influence of the Far East.

Camille Martin, Le Soir (Le Paon), 1896 © Ville de Nancy/P. Buren

1904 ▶ 1909 ▶ 1914 ▶ 1999 DEATH OF INTERNATIONAL FAIR WORLD WAR I EVENT DEDICATED ÉMILE GALLÉ OF THE EAST OF FRANCE TO THE ÉCOLE DE NANCY YEAR THE ECOLE DE NANCY AND HORTICULTURE

founded. Artists of The links between the École de Nancy artists and were members of horticulturists it. Emile Gallé was were formalised by the secretary. The works adorned by society became these new plants known across and sometimes Europe and beyond dedicated to for its Nancy-based their breeder. For research into example, the Coupe horticulture. Rose de France or Coupe Simon was created by Émile Gallé and offered to Léon Simon, president of the SCHN, by the members of the society. There was also the Émile Gallé, Coupe Rose de France, 1901 © MEN/ P. Caron Coupe Primavera, dedicated to Victor Lemoine, who was  While nature is Greenhouses and the breeder of a one of the most nurseries sprang primrose species important sources up all over the city, that he named Mrs of inspiration of sometimes even Émile Gallé. Art Nouveau, this right alongside is even truer in factories. That of the case of the Victor Lemoine is École de Nancy. At located close to the end of the 19th the Gallé factory, century, several which already had horticulturists such large lawns in front as Félix Crousse of the workshops, and Victor Lemoine aiding the workers settled in Nancy, in creating their creating new plant works. species through hybridisation, In 1877, the such as peonies, Société Centrale hydrangeas, d’Horticulture de clematis, lilacs, etc. Nancy (SCHN) was

Émile Gallé, Vase Passiflore © MEN/P. Caron THE REVIVAL OF DECORATIVE ARTS AND FABRIC OF LIFE ARTS

renowned than its to make the living architecture. environment Art Nouveau, as harmonious applied to all as possible and objects, both participated in decorative embellishing the and functional everyday decor. (staircases, chimneys, doors, etc.), radically transforming the living environment. A veritable The collections of collaboration was the Musée de l’Ecole born between de Nancy testify architects and to this diversity of artists-designers shapes and showcase to create a objects produced unity between in series alongside architecture unique pieces, and interior Émile Gallé, Lit Aube et Crépuscule ©MEN/ C. Philippot demonstrating the design. Painters, desire to produce an  Decorative arts and shapes, as cabinetmakers, “art for all”. experienced a showcased by the ceramists, master The Daum collection significant revival glass creations of glassmakers, of the Musée des at the end of the Daum, Gruber, Gallé, blacksmiths and Beaux-Arts also 19th century. This and the furniture of designers made illustrates the interest can be Vallin or Majorelle. common cause vitality of the glass explained by a Other less common production at Nancy. long tradition and domains such plenty of know-how as leather and in Lorraine, in the textile were also field of glass and tackled with earthenware as this same desire well as wood. The to modernise, illustrations of the resulting in the creations show a decorative art strong technical (the precursors of influence, along design) in Nancy with original decors being far more

Eugène Vallin, bureau Kronberg © MEN/P. Caron VILLA MAJORELLE

Henri Sauvage, Villa Majorelle in Album de photographies de Jacques Majorelle, septembre 1911 © MEN

made Villa Majorelle decorative paintings a prime example of in the dining room. the concept of unity The stained glass of of art espoused by the main rooms is numerous artists of the work of master the time. glassmaker Jacques Gruber (stairwell, The ensemble plays dining room and with repeated living room, the contrasts: the Majorelle bedroom). austere nudity The furniture of Euville stone designed by Louis opposite the Majorelle was made polychromy of by his workshops. bricks, sandstone, The furniture of the woodwork and dining room and ironwork; the living room is shown asserted verticality in the Majorelle of the stairwell sales catalogues,

Alexandre Bigot, cheminée de la Villa Majorelle tower facing the and except for that © MEN/ S. Levaillant basket-handle arch of the bedroom, is a of the terrace; unique set with light  In 1898, Louis place in the the medieval hues inlayed with Majorelle tasked history of Nancy inspiration of the mother-of-pearl and Henri Sauvage, architecture. The flying buttress (now brass. The decor of barely 26 years first fully ‘Art gone) facing the the entrance hall - old at the time, to Nouveau’ house Japanese-inspired front door, stencils, make his plans for a at Nancy, it was carpentry of a coat rack - all in the personal mansion a designed as a balcony, etc. theme of the lunaria reality at Nancy and whole with each annua, bear witness entrusted Lucien component of its Indoors, the to the savoir-faire of Weissenburger with structure and decor decoration was Louis Majorelle and supervising the being designed entrusted to several his collaborators. project. to be closely artists, with Louis Villa Majorelle - or interdependent Majorelle playing a Granted to the State Villa Jika, after the with the rest of the major role. after Louis Majorelle initials of Louis edifice. The fluidity Ceramist Alexandre disappeared in Majorelle’s wife, of shapes and Bigot and painter 1926, the villa Jeanne Kretz - was decorative patterns Francis Jourdain, was classified built in 1901-1902. and the continuous respectively created as a historical play of coordination the indoor and monument in 1996 Villa Majorelle between outdoors outdoor flamed and became the occupies a special and indoors have sandstone and the property of the City Henri Sauvage, Villa Majorelle in Album de photographies de Jacques Majorelle, septembre 1911 © MEN

of Nancy in 2003. A major restoration project launched in 2015 offers the public the change to rediscover the minute details of the original nature of this home, designed to be one comprehensive work of art, which has made it worthy to now bear the national label of “Maison des Illustres”.

THE ART NOUVEAU NETWORK Created in 1999, the Art Nouveau network seeks to study, protect and promote the heritage of Art Nouveau in Europe. Made up of different European partners including the City of Nancy, the Network has developed several initiatives targeting the general public, from experts to the youth. artnouveau-net.eu

PRACTICAL INFO

VISITS VIRTUAL DISCOVERIES • Guided thematic tours are offered by Discover the park of the Musée de l’École Destination Nancy – de Nancy at street-viewing.fr/nancy and Tourism office. take the opportunity to visit other jewels nancytourisme.fr of Nancy heritage at Google Street View 03.83.35.80.10 (Hôtel de Ville, Opera, Governmental • Benefit from the European Palace, Bon-secours church, Stanislas Heritage Days to visit the main library, Saint-Epvre basilica, Salle Poirel) monuments. MAJOR EVENTS NANCY-MUSEUMS do not miss: Information and bookings: tours, • Art Nouveau day (June) workshops, etc. • Place Stanislas rendezvous (mid-June – mid-September) Public museums department • Le Livre sur la place (early-September) of Nancy • Éphémère Garden (October) 03 83 85 30 01 • Feast of Saint Nicholas (December) [email protected] Musée des Beaux-Arts 3 place Stanislas Wednesday to Monday | 10 am to 6 pm FOLLOW US musee-des-beaux-arts.nancy.fr Musée de l’École de Nancy Nancy.fr 36-38 rue du Sergent-Blandan Wednesday to Sunday | 10 am to 6 pm social media musee-ecole-de-nancy.nancy.fr Villa Majorelle villaMajorelleNancy Villa Majorelle École de Nancy 1 rue Louis-Majorelle @menancy54 Wednesday to Sunday | 9 am to 12 noon Musée des Beaux-arts for groups @mbaNancy 2 pm to 6 pm for individuals @beauxarts_nancy musee-ecole-de-nancy.nancy.fr