Cabinet-maker(1849-1895)
(attributed to)

Pair of Tables

France
Circa 1885

Height : 72 cm (28,3 in.) ; Width : 64 cm (25,2 in.) ; Depth : 37 cm (14,5 in.)

Charming Louis XV style tables forming a pair, in a scalloped shape, opening with a drawer on the belt and made in kingwood and satinwood veneer. Their tray surrounded by a bronze mold is decorated with elegant floral marquetry in bois de bout on a satin background. Beautiful decoration of chiseled and gilded bronzes composed of branches. They rest on four cabriole legs decorated with foliage falls ending in hooves.

Biography

Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener was born in Germany in 1849. In 1880 he sets up his extensive workshops in rue de la Roquette in Paris where he creates many original pieces of furniture. He imitated practically every style, ranging from ‘’Boulle’’ to Louis XVI and including extraordinary personal interpretations of the Louis XV ‘’exuberant’’ style. He participated in the 1889 Universal Exhibition, held in Paris, and was awarded the gold medal for his remarkable copy of that most famous piece of furniture, Louis XV’s desk. The catalogue of the exhibition included a wonderful elegy qualifying the work as perfect : « No criticism what-so-ever could be made ». As that other famous cabinet-maker François Linke, Zwiener had most of his bronzes modelled by Léon Messagé whose work was considered as being of the best possible quality.

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Cabinet-Maker
(Active from 1880 to 1895)

L. Messagé

Designer
(1842-1901)

(Attributed to)

Rare Pair of Vitrines

France
Circa 1885

Height: 150 cm (59 in.); Width: 145 cm (57 in.); Depth: 44 cm (17,3 in.)

Rare pair of Louis XV style curved shape vitrines in kingwood veneer and gilded bronze. Glazed on all sides, they open with two doors framed by gilded and chiseled Rocaille style foliated bronze mounts. Resting on four cabriole legs ending with lion’s paws, the whole is covered by a « brèche de Benou » marble top. This model was probably designed by L. Messagé.

Biographies

Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener was born in Germany in 1849. In 1880 he sets up his extensive workshops in rue de la Roquette in Paris where he creates many original pieces of furniture. He imitated practically every style, ranging from ‘’Boulle’’ to Louis XVI and including extraordinary personal interpretations of the Louis XV ‘’exuberant’’ style. He participated in the 1889 Universal Exhibition, held in Paris, and was awarded the gold medal for his remarkable copy of that most famous piece of furniture, Louis XV’s desk. The catalogue of the exhibition included a wonderful elegy qualifying the work as perfect : « No criticism what-so-ever could be made ». As that other famous cabinet-maker François Linke, Zwiener had most of his bronzes modelled by Léon Messagé whose work was considered as being of the best possible quality.

Léon Messagé is a renowned designer and sculptor who integrated in his ornaments related to the Rocaille asymmetry, new lines and shapes announcing the “Art Nouveau” style. But even though, Messagé found inspiration with these 18th century artists, such as Nicolas Pineau or J. A. Meissonier, he didn’t simply copy their work and showed great originality, even extravagance, with some designs contained in “Cahier des dessins et croquis style Louis XV”. He realized numerous sketches on grey paper before the execution of a reduced or life sized model of his ornaments, made of wax or terra-cotta. From 1885, Léon Messagé started working with important Parisian cabinet-makers such Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener (1849-1895) and François Linke (1855-1946). François Linke developed his personal style, with such talent and quality that he was named during the 1900 Universal Exhibition the “Linke Style”. His tremendous success and his particular formal imagination came from his association with the designer Léon Messagé. The mutual influences concerning these three artists can be concretely observed in numerous realizations.

Bibliography

Catalogue de l’Exposition Universelle, Paris, 1889.

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Cabinet-maker
(1849-1895)

Beautiful table

France
Circa 1890

Height : 74 cm (29,1 in.) ; Width : 89 cm (35 in.) ; Depth : 56,5 cm (22,2 in.)

Charming serpentine shaped Louis XV style table in rosewood and kingwood veneer, with an elegant “bois de bout” floral marquetry on the tray and opening with two drawers. Rich gilded bronze ornamentation of flowers and branches framing the drawers and on the angles. The back is similarly decorated and with two false drawers. Resting on four scalloped foliate-cast feet.

The work on this table is characteristic of Zwiener’s workshops for its quality and finesse and of L. Messagé for the design.

Biography

Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener was born in Germany in 1849. In 1880 he set up his extensive workshops in rue de la Roquette in Paris where he created many original pieces of furniture. He immitated practically every style, ranging from “Boulle” to “Louis XVI” and including extraordinary personal interpretations of the ‘’exhuberent’’ Louis XV style. His unique style won Zwiener the gold medal at the 1882 exhibition of the Union Centrale des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. One of the judges, René Ménard, remarked that « if Mr. Zwiener had limited himself to literal reproductions, he wouldn’t have attracted the attention of the jury so strongly. But alongside his very skillful copies, he has shown us works inspired by his own imagination ». He then participated in the 1889 Universal Exhibition, held in Paris, and was awarded the gold medal for his remarkable copy of that most famous piece of furniture, Louis XV’s desk. The catalogue of the exhibition included a wonderful elegy qualifying the work as perfect : « No criticism what-so-ever could be made ». As that other famous cabinet-maker François Linke (1855-1946), Zwiener had most of his bronzes modelled by Léon Messagé (1842-1901) whose work was considered as being of the best possible quality. Zwiener was active until 1895, when Jean-Henri Jansen (1854-1928) purchased his business and stock. Operating under the name of “Zwiener Jansen Successeur”, Jansen continued to faithfully produce Zwiener’s creations, using the original models and lavishing the utmost care on these “meubles de luxe”.

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