309 - Hector MICHAUT (1874–1923)

Hector MICHAUT (1874–1923) Art Nouveau set in walnut consisting of a wardrobe and two chairs: - A three-section walnut bedroom wardrobe, topped by a rectangular pediment adorned on each side with a carved seaweed motif and deeply arched and molded on the front. The central glass-paned section, enclosing five shelves above a drawer, is flanked on either side—beneath two openwork niches—by a solid-wood door concealing four shelves on the left and three shelves and three rows of drawers on the right. Above a walnut arch surmounting the central glass panel, the top of the door features a carved motif depicting a woman’s face surrounded by seaweed and marine flora, her hair sweeping to either side in a wave-like motion. Each wooden door features a slightly recessed rectangular column topped by a carved motif of seaweed and a scallop shell. Signed, located, and dated in the lower left: H. Michaut, Paris, 21. H 230 x W 180 x D 50 cm - Pair of walnut chairs. The seat rests on a belt and legs adorned with carved seaweed; a central upright on the openwork backrest unfolds in a fan shape, beneath a curved molding, featuring the same seaweed motif. Circa 1920 H 97 x W 46 x D 47 cm Signs of wear Bibliographic reference: A watercolor on paper depicting a design for a bedroom featuring this bookcase appears in the book *Hector Michaut, Forgotten Art Nouveau Cabinetmaker*, page 49, by François Descouturelle and Anne Billon, published by the Société Lorraine des Amis des Arts et des Musées, 2023. Appraisal by Didier Largeault