Rare Francois-Rupert Carabin Masterwork Returned to France

Detail Francois-Ruper Carabin Piano   Image: Aestheticus Rex

Hello dear readers, I am still wishing I was in Paris and have been sifting through all of my images to prioritize future posts....this one caught my fancy today.  As I was tooling though the Musee des Arts Decoratifs on a particularly rainy Tuesday I rounded the corner of their Art Nouveau gallery to see this wonder that I had only known by reputation.  I present the Francois Rupert Carabin (French, 1862-1932) sculpted walnut piano.

Francois-Rupert Carabin Piano   Image: Aestheticus Rex

Detail, Francois-Rupert Carabin Piano   Image: Aestheticus Rex

Detail, Francois-Rupert Carabin Piano    Image: Aestheticus Rex

Now I know some of you will think that I have lost my mind referring to this piano as a masterwork. Yes, Carabin was not as successful at integrating his sculptural forms into a piece of furniture as say Emile Galle, but nonetheless his works are dramatic and exceedingly rare.

Emile Galle Gueridon "Libellule"    Image via Christie's

Carabin is primarily known for his ceramic and bronze sculptures but it is his rare furniture commissions that garner the most attention.  His last major piece to hit the auction block, to my knowledge, was just over a decade ago and realized $427,500 at Christie's New York.

Two Views, Francois-Rupert Carabin's "Four Elements" Desk and Chair    Image via Christie's

So you get the picture, they are really to be viewed as sculptures that happen to incorporate furniture and are rather expensive.  Now back to the piano...according to an article by Didier Rykner in The Art Tribune the piano was created in 1900 for the French comedic actor Coquelin Cadet by the Herz piano firm and was exhibited at the Exposition Universelle in Paris.

Alexandre Honore Ernest Coquelin aka Coquelin Cadet   Image via Wikimedia

Period image of the Piano from the 1905 Henri Herz Catalogue   Image via PianoEsther.de

Period image of the Piano circa 1900   Image via Revue Alsacienne Illustree

However, according to Mr. Rykner, Coquelin was unable to pay for the piano and it was later sold to the noted feminist and surrealist film director Germaine Dulac with whom it remained until 1938 when it was donated to the Musee des Arts Decoratifs by her daughter.  Here is where things get interesting...

Germaine Dulac    Image via SensesOfCinema.com

Period image of the Ecole Boulle Metalworking Workshop   Image via NotreFamille.com

Evidently for some reason the Musee had the piano deposited at the Ecole Boulle, the highly regarded design and applied arts school in Paris.  Well, it appears that the piano vanished from the Ecole during World War II and was not even noticed until a proper inventory was conducted in 1974 (almost 40 years later).  From there it was "in the wind", but it probably was lost for the bulk of that time.  Who knows for sure when it left France, but in the end it did surface at Sotheby's New York in 1981.  During the course of their research Sotheby's realized the origins of the Piano and notified their consignor that the work was actually Property of the Musee des Arts Decoratifs.  That is a call an expert never wants to make trust me...but I digress.  According to Rykner, negotiations were made between the Musee and Sotheby's consignor but in the meantime the piano languished at Sotheby's for another 30 years!  Upon its restitution in 2011 the Musee released the following images showing the piano pre-restoration (note all the inventory stickers).

The Piano circa 2011     Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs

The Piano circa 2011     Image via Musee des Arts Decoratifs

It may have taken some seventy years, but the piano now has pride of place at the Musee alongside the masterworks of Majorelle, Galle, Serrurier-Bovy et al.  The Musee d'Orsay has a rather wild monumental cabinet by the artist that is definitely worth a look when you are in Paris.  Until next time.--AR

Francois-Rupert Carabin Bibliotheque circa 1890    Image via ChasenAntiques.com

P.S.  I just remembered the unusual two sided vitrine Carabin created for the city of Paris in 1895.  It is on view at the Petit Palais.

Francois-Rupert Carabin Vitrine circa 1895   Image via Dalbera

Animal: Musée des Arts Décoratifs

I awoke this morning to look at some old "furniture friends" at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. After winding through the menagerie of renaissance through art deco masterworks I stumbled upon their latest theme exhibition celebrating how man has utilized the animal in form or as material across a wide range of disciplines. Here are some highlights that made me crazy...in the best sense of course.

This polo shirt by designed by the Campana brothers for Lacoste in 2009 was quite wild. Not as wild as one of their stuffed animal chairs but playful nonetheless. It is literally alligator logos stitched together which gives the appearance of a rather pop culture play on lace...you would have to have it lined for sake of function, lest what is meant to be private becomes public.

Now I know giraffes are sweet and majestic with those long bashful eyelashes... but this giraffe fur coat from the Guy Laroche Fall/Winter 1965-66 is sublime. The graphic pattern of the hide is a happy marriage with the mod fashion period.

This imposing display dedicated to birds is fronted by an amazing peacock gate by wrought iron master Jean Perot.

I was completely unfamiliar with French designer Bernard Rancillac or his "Elephant Chair" of 1967. The wall decals by Studio Job and Adrien Gardere are inspired as is the stretched "Whippet Bench" by Radi Designers of 1998.

Oh La La La Lalanne! I have waxed poetic about the Lalannes in the past and it was great at long last to be confronted by their "Rhinoceros Desk" of 1966. One never gets past the scale of these pieces.

Now if you have been following this blog you know my deep love for the works of Armand Albert Rateau. While cast in bronze the delicate deer give it a lightness and almost surreal quality. One of my absolute faves!

A vignette dedicated to animals as symbols of power. Not sure how I feel about Niki de Saint-Phalle's "Pouf Serpent Noir" in such close proximity to Abbot Suger's famous eagle vase or the gothic revival lectern... oh well.

This display of 17th and 18th century furniture feet juxtaposed with "hoof" inspired modern shoes was beyond clever and made me take pause. Well played.

This 19th century Chinese kingfisher feather work headdress was amazing and vibrant. I have never seen one in such good repair and embellished to this degree. Since they are not entirely blue one wonders how many poor little kingfishers were needed to complete this piece.

Now I have long been aware of the shagreen covered geometric lamps and boxes created by Clement Rousseau but I have never seen a clock. Who knew this form existed but I am so glad it does.

Very skillful use of contrasting shagreen tints to further heighten the faceted surface.

I leave you with this image. Only the Musée des Arts Décoratifs would have an 18th century woven silk coat for a pet monkey. The only thing that I can imagine is that it clearly did not get much use. This is merely a sampling, you must see the show before it closes at the end of November 2011.