Restoration of a set of four Art Nouveau nesting tables, made by the Gallé workshops. Each tabletop bears their marquetry signature. The beechwood bases are adorned with a naturalistic decoration of tree branches. The tabletops feature marquetry of daffodils, seascapes, and lapping catkins. This marquetry combines ash, walnut, sycamore maple, rosewood, mahogany, walnut burl, and elm.
Émile Gallé (1846-1904)
Émile Gallé is an emblematic figure of Art Nouveau. He is indeed recognized 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 would greatly influence his creations. After secondary school in Nancy, he continued his studies in Germany, notably in Weimar. There, he devoted himself to mineralogy and drawing. Then, in 1866, he learned the art of glassmaking in Meisenthal.
Attributed to H. Duffray, Portrait of Émile Gallé (1889).
In 1870, he joined the family ceramics and glassmaking business in Saint-Clément. Then, in 1877, he settled permanently in Nancy, where he founded his own glassworks. There, he experimented with new decorative techniques, such as glass marquetry. This technique combines different layers of glass to create patterns inspired by nature.
In 1885, Gallé also ventured into furniture making and opened cabinetmaking workshops in Nancy. Initially, he produced small pieces of furniture: pedestal tables, side tables, and tea tables. Then, towards the end of the 1890s, he turned to larger pieces, such as display cabinets and complete furniture sets.
His international reputation was established at the Universal Expositions of 1878 and 1889 in Paris. He received several awards there, including the Grand Prix in 1889. In 1901, he founded the’Nancy School with Victor Prouvé, Louis Majorelle and Antonin Daum. The school thus aims to promote Art Nouveau and to bring artists and industrialists closer together.
Finally, Émile Gallé died on September 23, 1904 in Nancy.
State of affairs report
Once again, a flowerpot caused damage. The moisture beneath the pot caused some marquetry pieces to detach from the second tabletop. Furthermore, some pieces were missing from the other tabletops, along with slight, general detachment. Finally, the four tables no longer fit together properly.
The Restoration
Fortunately, the Gallé workshops mass-produced this model. Images of the seaside landscape are therefore readily available. As a result, I didn't have to rack my brains to find the missing motifs, nor interpret a non-existent one.
First, I disassembled the four tabletops from their bases to rehydrate and reattach the marquetry using a vacuum technique. This also allowed me to readjust the sliding mechanism so that the tables work perfectly together.
Then, after oxidizing the veneer restorations, I regenerated the waxed finish. Finally, a light application of wax evened out the shine.
