Style Japonism, Chinoiserie / Ref.13397

Gabriel VIARDOT, Japanese style support unit with bouquet, 1888

This piece of furniture and display was made by Gabriel Viardot in 1888, at the height of his career.

A talented wood sculptor, Gabriel Viardot opened a furniture factory and store in Paris in 1853. In the 1870s, he decided to devote himself to “Chinese-Japanese furniture”.

He obtained a silver medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1878, then the gold medal at the International Exhibition in Antwerp in 1884, and at the Universal Exhibitions in Paris in 1889 and 1900. This piece of furniture, although adapted to European uses, is part of Viardot's Sino-Japanese production. Its base is pierced with geometric scrolls forming a heart in the center.

The door is decorated with an exceptional Japanese panel from the Meiji period (1868-1912). It is decorated with a still life combining bas-relief and mother-of-pearl inlay.

This representation is characteristic of Japanese art of this period. It has many stylistic and technical similarities with this other panel from the Meiji era.

One of the short sides is decorated with a bamboo in bloom accompanied by an inscription made of characters chosen for their aesthetic appearance, probably taken from Japanese prints.

The other is carved with mistletoe branches.

The crown of the piece of furniture is inspired by Far Eastern architecture and is decorated with a roaring lion.

Viardot's signature is on the right side of the piece of furniture, in the lower part. The stamp and the date, rarely indicated, which is indicative of the value of this piece of furniture, are on its left side.

Gabriel Viardot created a small Japanese style cabinet known by an old drawing, the upper part of which, more especially the crowning, is very close to that of this piece of furniture.

For more information on this work, see the video on MarcMaison.art.