Restoration of a set of four Art Nouveau nesting tables, crafted and stamped with marquetry on each tabletop by the Gallé workshops. The beechwood bases are adorned with a naturalistic decoration of tree branches, and feature marquetry of daffodils, seascapes, and lapping catkins. The woods used for this marquetry are ash, walnut, sycamore maple, rosewood, mahogany, walnut burl, and elm.
Emille Gallé (1846-1904)
Émile Gallé is an emblematic figure of Art Nouveau, recognized for his major contributions as a cabinetmaker, ceramist and master glassmaker.
Born on May 4, 1846, in Nancy, he grew up in a family passionate about the applied arts; his father owned a glassworks. From a very young age, he developed a deep interest in botany, which greatly influenced his artistic creations. After secondary school in Nancy, he continued his studies in Germany, notably in Weimar, where he devoted himself to mineralogy and drawing. In 1866, he began an apprenticeship in glassmaking in Meisenthal, further developing his technical skills.
Attributed to H. Duffray, Portrait of Émile Gallé (1889).
In 1870, he joined the family ceramics and glass business in Saint-Clément, before settling permanently in Nancy in 1877. There, he founded his own crystal factory, where he experimented with new decorative techniques, such as glass marquetry, combining different layers of glass to create complex patterns inspired by nature.
In 1885, Gallé also ventured into furniture production, opening cabinetmaking workshops in Nancy. He initially focused on producing small pieces such as side tables, pedestal tables, and tea tables, before moving towards larger pieces like display cabinets and complete sets towards the end of the 1890s.
His international reputation was established at the Universal Expositions of 1878 and 1889 in Paris, where he received several awards, including the Grand Prix in 1889. In 1901, he founded the’Nancy School with artists such as Victor Prouvé, Louis Majorelle and Antonin Daum, aiming to promote Art Nouveau and encourage collaboration between artists and industrialists.
Émile Gallé died on September 23, 1904 in Nancy.
State of affairs report
A flowerpot caused further damage. The humidity from the pot on the marquetry tabletop caused some marquetry pieces to detach on the second shelf. There were also some missing pieces on the other shelves, as well as slight, general detachment. The four tables no longer fit together properly.
The Restoration
Fortunately, this nesting table design was mass-produced, making it easy to find images of the seascape. Therefore, I didn't have to rack my brains to find the missing motifs or interpret a non-existent one.
The four tabletops were removed from their bases to rehydrate and reattach the marquetry using vacuum technology. This also allowed for readjustment of the sliding mechanism so that the tables function perfectly together.
After oxidizing the veneer restorations, the waxed finish was regenerated and a light application of wax was applied to even out the shine.
