Style Japonism, Chinoiserie / Ref.15090

Gabriel VIARDOT, Japanese-Style Shelf Cabinet, late 19th Century

This shelf cabinet was crafted by Gabriel Viardot in the late 19^th century.

A talented wood sculptor, Gabriel Viardot opened a furniture workshop and store in Paris in 1853. In the 1870s, he decided to focus on “Chinese-Japanese style furniture”. He received prestigious awards at the Universal Exhibitions in Paris in 1878, 1889, and 1900, as well as a gold medal at the International Exhibition in Antwerp in 1884.

This piece, serving as both a cabinet and a display stand, belongs to Viardot’s Sino-Japanese style production. Its four legs, shaped as stylized scrolls, support an asymmetrical structure. The lower left section features shelves inspired by Japanese “cha’dansu” (tea cabinets). It is adorned with a dragon seemingly weaving through a panel at the bottom, a recurring motif in Viardot’s work. At the top, the last shelf is supported by a delicate sculpture of a crane perched on a turtle. The right section consists of a cabinet on a stand, decorated with a panel showcasing rich low-relief carvings. Stylized flames and smoke swirls intertwine with highly realistic flowers. A Japanese panel from the Meiji era (1868-1912), depicting a basket of flowers, was included after a delicate cutting process. The small left side is adorned with Japanese maple leaves, while the right side features a flower.

Gabriel Viardot’s signature can be found just below, on the lower crosspiece.

A very similar version of this cabinet is depicted in an old sketchbook by the artist. Notably, the crane supporting the shelf and the tiered supports above the dragon on the left are present, although their orientation is reversed.