Enamored with Art Deco – Part I
I can’t get enough of Art Deco furniture. I especially like those classified as “high Art Deco”, or traditional Art Deco that evolved out of Art Nouveau in France. Their use of exotic woods, with the distinctive patterns and decorative grains of the materials themselves being the main source of decoration, emphasize to the hilt the sheer beauty of wood. Geometric curves, clean lines, high-gloss finishes and rare inlays such as ivory and shagreen gave these pieces a distinctive, timeless luxury.
Some would point out that the Art Deco appetite for exotic materials contributed in some way to the destruction of tropical rain forests and endangering of certain animal species. Yet when we think in terms of life cycle cost, these beautifully crafted, built-to-last furniture pieces have such value that they are maintained, preserved, and passed on from one generation to the next, thus somehow minimizing their environmental impact.
In this Art Deco furniture modeling article, the first of a series, I will introduce two pieces of furniture that were a real pleasure to behold and equally fun (and challenging) to model.
I used e-frontier’s Shade 12 Professional, a 3D modeling software that is popular in Japan.
Armchair
3D Model of Armchair.
Wireframe model of Armchair.
“This unsigned [Emile-Jacques] Ruhlmann armchair is made of burr amboyna with ebony detailing, gilt metal sabots, and brown velvet upholstery. It appears to be the first model of the macassar ebony and ivory chair that Ruhlmann for Jacques Doucet in 1913. c.1913. H:100.5cm; W:68.5cm” (Excerpt from p. 393 of Furniture: World Styles from Classical to Contemporary by Judith Miller.)
In this model, I made some modifications to the original piece by adding a chocolate bar-like pattern to the brown velvet, and omitting a vertical line pattern at the base and velvet lining on the inner back part of the chair. The throw pillow model is courtesy of abedrox at Google 3D Warehouse; for the cover I used a sesame Scallop Embroidery fabric by F. Schumacher & Co.
Table with Rotating Top
3D Model of Table with Rotating Top.
Wireframe model of Table with Rotating Top.
“This elegant circular table, signed by Ruhlmann, is made from amboyna and ivory. Its rotating circular top rests on a central support decorated with stepped geometric panels and an arching base. Like many of Ruhlmann’s pieces, the exotic wood veneer is the main form of decoration. c.1929. W:74.5cm” (Excerpt from p. 393 of Furniture: World Styles from Classical to Contemporary by Judith Miller.)
I tried to model this pedestal table as accurately as I could. The geometric pieces of wood lined up in decreasing size on the pedestal have gold trim on the sides and a subtle curve on top, adding an interesting touch to this comely piece of furniture.
I Would Love to Hear from You!
So, what do you think of these models? Please share your thoughts and opinions in the Comments section below.
Related Links
Enamored with Art Deco Part II – Features a gorgeous Italian buffet.
Enamored with Art Deco Part III – Features a French U-shaped table, a tulip-shaped sofa and an eight-lamp chandelier.
Enamored with Art Deco Part IV – Final installment features a sculptural uplighter by Eugene Printz.
Sources
Miller, Judith. Furniture: World Styles from Classical to Contemporary (Dorling Kindersley, 2011) – a real treasure trove of furniture, encylopedic in scope, with excellent photographs. Written with knowledge, understanding, and a great deal of passion. My absolute favorite book in the Furniture category.
“Cushion” by abedrox – a lovely little pillow model at Google 3D Warehouse done in Google Sketchup.
F. Schumacher & Co. – fine fabrics, wallcoverings, trimmings and furnishings.
Recommended Book
Furniture: World Styles from Classical to Contemporary by Judith Miller (Dorling Kindersley, 2011) – a real treasure trove of furniture, encylopedic in scope, with excellent photographs. Written with knowledge, understanding, and a great deal of passion. My absolute favorite book in the Furniture category.
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- Enamored with Art Deco Part IV | Beverly Claire Designs - [...] Enamored with Art Deco Part I – First part of this series, featuring a chair and table by Emile-Jacques…
- Enamored with Art Deco – Part II | Beverly Claire Designs - [...] Enamored with Art Deco Part I – First part of this series, featuring a chair and table by Emile-Jacques…
- Art Deco Circular Pedestal Table with Rotating Top | Beverly Claire Interiors Japan - [...] Enamored with Art Deco – details on the modeling of the table at my design site. [...]
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Sitting feel of this rounded armchair seems to be very good.
How much is this chair?
Hi! Unfortunately I wasn’t able to determine how much this one actually costs. Apparently there are several versions of it (for some examples, click here, SC122 – SC123) but couldn’t find one on auction. Ruhlmann’s fine pieces (signed or not) were known to be notoriously expensive but still highly coveted by collectors. It was said that Ruhlmann spared no expense in building his furniture and his fans willingly bought them. I would encourage you to check out Pollaro Custom Furniture— they create handmade, built-to-order replica period pieces, and have an extensive portfolio of Ruhlmann designs.