Jacques Doucet - Yves Saint Laurent - Vivre Pour L'Art

Image via Fondation Pierre Berge - Yves Saint Laurent

Hello dear readers.  This post comes some ten days after my return from Paris where I quite luckily took in this exhibition at the Fondation Pierre Berge - Yves Saint Laurent.  Long time readers are more than familiar with my posts and mini obsession with the collecting prowess of Jacques Doucet.  This exhibition made links between the two couturiers and their voracious collecting habits that were largely against the grain and were testaments to their forward thinking visions.  I came across the press release for the show some months ago and it appeared to highlight about twenty works and I thought it would be a fairly modest yet interesting showing.  I was pleasantly surprised by what the Fondation PB-YSL was able to achieve.

Exhibition vignette -- Image via FOMO blog

The exhibition was able to reunite an impressive amount of material from Jacques Doucet's "Studio" collection, culled from public and private institutions across the globe.  Turning every corner within the galleries was truly a jaw dropping experience.

Exhibition vignettes -- Image via WWD

I was especially struck by Marcel Coard's "Africaniste" sofa from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts being reunited with Henri Rousseau's canvas "The Snake Charmer" lent by the Musee D'Orsay in Paris.

Doucet's "Studio" showing works in-situ -- Image L'Illustration 30 Mai 1930

Exhibition vignette -- Image via Deco-Source

Moments like this are truly breathtaking, when you see pieces separated by time and circumstance reunited with the original collector's vision in mind.  Unfortunately, the exhibition closes today, but the exhibition catalogue is exceptional.  Every single piece is documented and illustrated.  There are also a number of essays weaving a thread between Doucet and YSL and their overlapping collections.  I was particularly grateful for the number of previously unpublished period images that give one a better sense of the layout of Doucet's "Studio" and its contents.  Around every corner was an object that I had never seen in its original context...but I digress.

Doucet "Studio" period images -- Images Fonds Pierre Berge - Yves Saint Laurent

I have plenty of material to pour over for the time being...until next time I leave you with this clip of the exhibition presented by curator Jerome Neutres--AR.

Another Jacques Doucet Treasure Surfaces at Auction

Hello Dear readers I have taken far to long to start posting once again but life does tend to get in the way.  In preparation for the unfolding fall auction season I took time to look back at the spring season to take stock.  A reader tipped me off a few months ago that another rarity from Jacques Doucet's Studio St. James residence emerged at Christie's Paris May 20th, 2014 in the form of a rather smart silver and rock crystal desk set.

Rock Crystal and Silver Desk Set, Christie's Paris, 20 May 2014, Lot 4 (€37,500)

The lot comprises an inkwell, pin tray, stamp box and paper clip pot.  The winning bid of €37,500 is rather astonishing given that the set is not attributed to a known designer/maker and was offered on a pre-sale estimate of €10,000-12,000.  The result shows the importance of a Doucet provenance.  If you are not familiar with Jacques Doucet or his fabled collection see my previous posts here.  Christie's placed the date of the set to around 1929, the year Doucet died and when period images of his modernist studio home were published widely.  Looking at a period image of the studio the set indeed can be seen resting on the Pierre Legrain desk just outside of the "Oriental Cabinet".

The set seen in-situ within Jacques Doucet's Studio   Image: L'Illustration, 30 Mai 1930.

Detail of above

I would not date these items so late as they were present in the apartment Doucet acquired in 1912 on the avenue Bois de Boulogne.  The image below from the early 1920s shows the desk set in the Bois de Boulogne residence placed on the same Pierre Legrain desk which itself was designed in 1920 and executed shortly thereafter.  

The desk set present at Jacques Doucet's Bois de Boulogne apartment circa early 1920s   Image via Sotheby's

The desk set was one of a number of pieces that was not disbursed in the subsequent years immediately following Doucet's death.  According to the Christie's catalogue the set was offered as lot 13 in his groundbreaking 1972 sale.  The desk articles sold for a tidy 4500 francs where they were purchased by a Madame M., the present consignor to Christie's, which means they have had only two owners in nearly 100 years which only adds to their allure.

Vente Audap, Ancienne collection Jacques Doucet, 8 novembre 1972   Image: Aestheticusrex

In putting together this post it came to my attention that Architectural Digest September 2014 issue published a short article about Doucet as a collector.  It seems that the venerable Cheska Vallois dedicated her booth to Doucet's collecting genius at the 2014 Paris Biennale which closed today. Reports point out that it is a mix of Doucet items and period works in the spirit of his collection.

Galerie Vallois booth, 2014 Paris Bienalle    Image courtesy Galerie Vallois

I am loving the printed scrim at the end of the installation showing the entry stairs to Doucet's Studio. Connaissance des art Decortatifs produced the following interview which highlights a few of the works presented.

I must get my hands on Vallois' Biennale publication tout de suite.  I will undoubtedly travel to Paris for the fall 2015 Jacques Doucet exhibition at the Fondation Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent. Much to do and see....until next time.  -AR

Pierre Legrain Stool with Jacques Doucet Provenance at the Brooklyn Museum?

Hello Dear Readers.  Just another quick post.  The other week I found myself attending an event at the Brooklyn Museum for the first time in many years I hate to admit.  Just beyond the lobby is a grand installation entitled "Connecting Cultures: A World in Brooklyn".  The concept is part of a sweeping trend among Museums to get more artworks out of the storerooms and display them en mass not only to show off their holdings but also to make cross cultural connections.  It was a display case of African and African inspired furniture that stopped me in my tracks.

"Connecting Cultures: A World in Brooklyn" installation    Image: Brooklyn Museum

As I rounded the case I knew at once I was seeing an art deco masterwork by the French designer Pierre Legrain.

Pierre Legrain Stool, Ca. 1923   Image: Brooklyn Museum

The form is African in origin but is rendered in the materials of art deco luxury, namely lacquer and galuchat.  Legrain works are exceeding rare as he died in 1929.  It was for this reason I was keen to read the gallery text to find its provenance.  Unfortunately there was no listed provenance beyond the credit line "Purchased with funds given by an anonymous donor".  Fortunately the accession number "73.142" may provide some insight.  You see, accession numbers are typically a combination of the year that the object is acquired and the number of the bequest/object donated in that year.  The stool's number would suggest that it was acquired in 1973 which was was in close proximity to a major event in the nascent art deco market...that would be the groundbreaking sale of the collection of Jacques Doucet.  For background on Doucet and his awe inspiring collection see my previous post here.

Collection Jacques Doucet, Hotel Drouot, Paris 8 November 1972    Image via diktats.com

The couturier Jacques Doucet died in 1929 and eventually the contents of his studio in Neuilly Sur Seine were placed in storage only to be rediscovered by his descendants decades later when the storage facility was closing down.  The subsequent sale in November of 1972 is a subject of legend in the decorative arts community and pieces ended up in the best collections and museums across the globe.  Unfortunately, I do not have a copy of the sale catalogue at my fingertips or else I would settle this mystery in mere moments...therefore, we are left to consult the period images of the studio.

View of Doucet's Studio at Neuilly-sur-Seine, circa 1930     Image: L'Illustration, No.  4845

In the image above a very similar stool to the one at the Brooklyn museum can be seen just to the left of the monumental Lalique door.

Detail of stool in Doucet's Studio    Image: L'Illustration, No. 4845

The seat is of the same shape and proportion as is the rectangular stepped base, but the legs appear to be comprised of four posts and not faceted columns.  Its also hard to tell if there is a cream central support.  This lack of detail may be due to the period method of tinting these images or it may in-fact not be the same Legrain stool.  Thankfully, the Centre Pompidou's catalogue for their recent Eileen Gray exhibition published another view of the Studio that I had never seen before.

Studio Jacques Doucet Neuilly-sur-Seine    Image: Institut national d'histoire de l'art

Detail of Legrain Stool in Doucet's Studio     Image: Institut national d'histoire de l'art

If the Brooklyn Museum's stool is from Doucet's fabled studio, this appears to be an image of it in-situ.  It is of the same overall shape, possesses the central cream support, and you can make out the collars on the four faceted legs as they catch the light.  I need to consult a copy of Doucet's sale to be sure, but if I were a gambling man I would suspect that this is indeed the example now in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum....I will provide updates as the truth emerges.

On a side note, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has an African inspired Legrain stool that was purchased from the 1972 Doucet sale.  It was on view a few years back, but alas is now safely in storage.

Pierre Legrain carved rosewood stool for Jacques Doucet, ca. 1925   Image: Metmuseum.org

This stool borrows its form from an African headrest but is of the proportion of a low stool.  The sister to this stool was sold from the outstanding Dray Collection presented at Christie's Paris in 2006.  It achieved the tidy sum of $660,066.

Pierre Legrain carved hardwood stool for Jeanne Tachard, Circa 1925.   Image: Christie's

The Christie's catalogue notes that while Legrain's works for his top clients were generally unique pieces it is believed that since Jacques Doucet and Jeanne Tachard were close friends some exceptions could be made.  The Yves Saint Laurent sale at Christie's in 2009 yielded yet another rare stool by Legrain.  This stool can be traced directly to Jacques Doucet as it was lot 43 in the 1972 sale of his collection.

Legrain carved hardwood stool for Jacques Doucet, ca. 1925   Image: Christie's

I have always loved this particular example.  It is overtly African in inspiration but the supports to me also skew into the arena of the machine age becoming stylized gears.  Christie's sold this work for $589,130.

As a final aside, I am pleased that more period images of Doucet's collection are coming to light.  As reader's of this blog know I love seeing works as they were presented in their original context.  This recently published image is no exception as it clearly shows two "old friends" that I have marveled at for years.

Studio Jacques Doucet Neuilly-sur-Seine    Image: Institut national d'histoire de l'art

At the immediate left you can see two figures from Eileen Gray's screen "Le Destin".  The work dates to 1914 and was one of the first Gray pieces that Doucet acquired.  It resurfaced in his 1972 sale where it achieved $36,000.  It presently resides in a private collection.

Doucet's Studio detail showing Gray's "Le Destin"   Image: Institut national d'histoire de l'art

Eileen Gray's "Le Destin" lacquered wood screen, ca. 1914    Image via marcbongaerts.nl

Another work visible in the image of the studio is a bit hard to make-out but is well know today as it resides in the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris.

Detail of Doucet's Studio showing the Legrain side cabinet at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs  
Image: Institut national d'histoire de l'art

It is a bit hazy but if you know the work it becomes clear.  I shot a few images of this piece when I was last in Paris.

Pierre Legrain & Gustave Miklos side cabinet, ca. 1923   Image: Aestheticus Rex

Detail of the Gustav Miklos silvered and enameled panel.  Image: Aestheticus Rex

In the period photo you can just pick out the graphic nature of the stylized African panel by Gustave Miklos.  It is all very exciting.  I am trying to get my hands of a copy of the 1972 Doucet sale as we speak.  Updates to follow.  Until next time...--AR.

UPDATE:
Well in the days since penning this post I have discovered that a stool of the same exact model as the one at the Brooklyn Museum is in the possession of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Pierre Legrain Stool, ca. 1923       Image: © Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

It is part of the Sidney and Frances Lewis bequest and the listed provenance is none other than Jacques Doucet.  I am very curious to know if there was a pair made for Doucet, or if the example at the Brooklyn Museum was made for another client.  I should have my hands on a copy of the Doucet sale in a few days...details to follow.

UPDATE II:
Well the mystery has been solved on two fronts.  I was able to find a copy of the Doucet auction and there was only one stool of this design offered, lot 33.  This would mean that Doucet's Legrain stool is definitely the example in the collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Jacques Doucet's Legrain stool, Hotel Drouot, Paris, 8 November 1972, lot 33 ($4300)

The Brooklyn Museum also confirmed that theirs was indeed not from the Doucet sale but was actually acquired from an Italian collection and it was originally made for the de Crespi family with whom Legrain designed textiles.  Examples of this collaboration were evidently shown at the 1925 Exposition in Paris and recall his work in luxury bookbinding.

Pierre Legrain textile designs for Benigno Crespi, ca. 1925   Image via Flickr

Until next time.--AR

Jan Juta's "Pegasus" Window To Be Restored

Hello Dear Readers.  Just a quick post as I have come across a bit of interesting news.  It seems that at long last the British art deco jewel New Filton House is presently being restored.   The structure also known as "Pegasus House" was designed in 1936 by Whinney, Son and Austen Hall as offices for the Bristol Aeroplane Company.

New Filton House  circa 1953           Image via aviationarchive.org.uk

The rather stark yet sleek exterior was embellished with a relief of the Bristol 142 "Britain First" airplane high above a freestanding figure of Pegasus both by sculptor Denis Dunlop.

Bas relief of the Bristol 142 by Denis Dunlop    Image: Linda Bailey via WikiCommons 

Sculpture of Pegasus by Denis Dunlop     Image: John Honniball via Flickr

Now dear readers, I first became aware of this structure many years ago doing research on the art deco muralist and glass artist Jan Juta.  You can find a previous post about him here.  The main staircase of New Filton House possesses a multi-story stained glass window depicting the history of the Bristol company executed by none other than Juta himself.  I have only ever seen small crops of the window in the past which thankfully is undergoing a complete restoration this summer by the Creative Glass Works in Bristol.

Image of the window featuring Pegasus   Image via bristol-aeroplane.com

Detail of Mercury   Image via ThisIsBristol.com

Detail of window    Image via bristol-aeroplane.com

Detail of Pegasus     Image via bristol-aeroplane.com

You see dear readers, the offices were vacated over two decades ago and the structure as well as its decor fell into disrepair becoming the realm of squatters and urban explorers.  Haunting images of the decay can be found here.  It has been reported that some of the panes were damaged or otherwise broken.  As noted above, my previous research caused me to stumble across a design drawing for the staircase window.

"Pegasus" Window design drawing by Jan Juta    Image: Aestheticus Rex

Detail of Juta's Design     Image: Aestheticus Rex 

Detail of Juta's Design    Image: Aestheticus Rex 

Detail of Juta's Design   Image: Aestheticus Rex

This is all terribly exciting to say the least.  To know that something feared lost to neglect is being saved at long last is always reassuring.  I have reached out to the Creative Glass Works to obtain an update on their progress.  I hope to post images of the completed work and details of the restoration as they come to light.  Until next time...--AR

UPDATE:
While I was cross posting around Facebook I located the page of the Creative Glass Works.  It seems that the window restoration is nearly complete.  I await their response but leave you with their images of the work in progress...

Detail of Mercury from the Pegasus Window by Jan Juta   Image: Creative Glass Works

Detail of restored Pegasus from the Jan Juta Window   Image: Creative Glass Works

Image of Creative Glass Works team at work    Image: Creative Glass Works

Eileen Gray at Auction: Follow the Lady Where Does She Go...

Eileen Gray from the Centre Pompidou Exhibition   Photo: Aestheticus Rex

Dear readers, I know I owe you a re-cap of the Eileen Gray exhibition at the Centre Pompidou which closed last month.  I was able to attend and shot a slew of images, rest assured.  Today I was settling into a peaceful Sunday afternoon thumbing through the upcoming Christie's 13 June 2013 Design Sale and was pleased to find lot 142.

Eileen Gray set of ten lacquered plates     Image via Christie's

They are a lustrous set of Eileen Gray aubergine lacquered wood plates with provenance back to the legendary Sotheby's sale of The Collection of Eileen Gray held in Monaco in 1980.  The plates are being offered at an estimate of $5000-8000.

Cover of the seminal Eileen Gray Collection Sale, Sotheby's Monaco, 1980    Image Via 1stDibs

Christie's present offering lists the plates provenance as being from a larger set offered as successive lots in the 1980 sale, lots 245a, b, or c.  But there is a bit more to the story as the tagline of this blog isn't "the incestuous world of design" for nothing.  As I have stated before, things tend to pop-up here, disappear for a while and re-emerge over there...but the internet has made the world a much smaller place.  The set of plates at Christie's quietly sold at Stair Galleries in Hudson, NY in December 2011 for $2000 on an estimate of $800-1200.  I only heard about the sale after the fact much to my chagrin...the winning bidder was a lucky person indeed.

Eileen Gray Lacquered Plates, Stair Galleries, Hudson, NY, 3 December 2011, lot 368      Image via Artfact

The Stair Galleries cataloging acknowledges that the plates indeed were part of lot 245 in the the 1980 Gray sale but goes further noting that the plates were also later sold at Sotheby's New York, 5 June 2001, lot 469.  How they emerged at a small Stair Galleries sale a decade later is anyone's guess.  With the buzz of the Yves Saint Laurent Sale and the recent retrospective at the Centre Pompidou in Paris I expect them to do much better.  We will have to wait until the hammer falls later this month.  As an FYI, another set of twelve plates was offered in the same December 2011 Stair Galleries sale but they have yet to resurface...

Set of Twelve Eilenn Gray Lacquered plates, Stair Galleries, Hudson NY, lot 367, sold $1200      Image via Artfact

UPDATE:  Well the auction took place a few hours ago and the plates sold for a whopping $43,750!  That is an amazing return on a $2000 investment.  I am sure we will see the other set in due course.  Happy hunting...--AR

UPDATE II:
I have been adding catalogues to my collection and unrelated research led me to additional provenance for these well traveled plates.  They were of course a set of 23 that were broken-up across four lots in the 1980 Sotheby's "Collection Eileen Gray" sale.  Lots 245, 245a, 245b, and 245c to be exact.

Collection Eileen Gray, Sotheby's Monaco25 May 1980, Lots 245 & 245a-c   Image via Sotheby's

Lot text for the above image.        Image via Sotheby's

They next surface in the collection of antiquities dealer Robin Symes in the guise of the "Philip Johnson Townhouse" sale at Sotheby's New York, 6 May 1989, lots 97-99 where they were now reduced to 22 plates split over three lots.

Philip Johnson Townhouse, Sotheby's New York, 6 May 1989, lots 97-99     Image via Sotheby's

Lot text for the above image.    Image via Sotheby's

Take note that the provenance is slightly incorrect as they include lot 244 from the Eileen Gray Collection which was actually a lacquer box.  Anyway, I have always thought it was a disservice to refer to the Symes sale in reference to the townhouse that was its final lot.  The sale was largely comprised of a cache of masterworks by Eileen Gray and Pierre Legrain including a slew of rare archival materials.  If you don not have a copy....find it!  It is a treasure trove of information.  As I stated previously, the plates next resurfaced at Sotheby's New York, 5 June 2001, lot 469.  I am assuming that all 22 plates were in that lot (I am tracking down a copy of this sale as Sothebys.com is spotty with sales results beyond a decade).  From here they disappeared into the ether before they emerged in two successive lots at Stair Galleries in Hudson, New York, 3 December 2011.  The 22 being split over two lots (367 & 368).  As we now know they have been split-up, ten being sold at Christie's New York, 13 June 2013, lot 142.  I am waiting to see how long it will take for the other 12 surface.