Eugène Printz and Jean Dunand

The late 1930s are characterized by new stylistic directions in the furniture production of Eugène Printz. It was a time during which the cabinetmaker transitioned from clean architectural lines to a more baroque and sculptural style, of which the present piece is a superlative example. The sideboard constitutes an exceptional achievement, both technical and artistic, in the oeuvre of Eugène Printz. Through its unusually dynamic design, Printz was able to balance planes and lines that contradict and respond to each other, curves and straight lines that form unusual alliances; and the resulting equilibrium, both imbalanced and stable at the same time, gives an impression of vitality, of movement even, that is dominated by technical perfection.

The present sideboard further illustrates the close working collaboration between Eugène Printz and Jean Dunand, the latter being credited here for the decoration of the front panels which beautifully complement the curvy and sculptural base of the piece. Etched in silver on a background of patinated and blackened dinanderie metal, the resulting façade indeed presents as a magnificent abstract frieze that adds a lyrical, almost narrative, aspect to the piece. As the greatest French lacquerer of his time, Jean Dunand had brought manual metalworking back into fashion and had been exhibiting pieces with dinanderie at various salons since 1905, to great critical acclaim. He tirelessly elevated his art to a more noble rank and contributed to the furniture designs of Printz and Ruhlmann using both lacquer and dinanderie. When working with Printz, he favored geometric designs that concealed the furniture and its doors and handles, leaving nothing more than a beautiful geometric illusion. The study of maquettes for facades by Dunand confirms that he had a predilection for abstract, triangular motifs such as this one, though he occasionally turned to figuration (storks, for instance).

The present cabinet is one of at least two documented examples. Though the historical whereabouts of this lot are unknown, the second example is known to have been exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs of 1938 in Paris. Elevated on a high plinth, a common device used by Printz to underscore the artistic quality of his production, the sideboard was further adorned with a small sculpture atop and complemented with a painting by René Seyssaud hanging above it. This exquisite form, all the more desirable due to its rarity, establishes yet again Eugène Printz’s unquestionable status as both a sculptor of furniture and expert cabinetmaker.