0 - CAYETTE Jules Edouard (1882–1953)

CAYETTE Jules Edouard (1882–1953) An egg-shaped silver hand mirror with richly chiseled decoration centered on a cockchafer and flanked by two lizards amid branches framing a beveled, multi-lobed mirror. The back is engraved with a radiating foliage motif. The handle is topped by two triangular lapis lazuli cabochons. Signed and dated “J. Cayette 11” on one side. Art Nouveau period (oxidation, wear). Gross weight: 1058 gr Height: 45 cm x Width: 17.7 cm The cockchafer motif is characteristic of the École de Nancy; it is a species of beetle common in Lorraine. It is also a powerful symbol of rebirth and metamorphosis: emerging from a buried larva, it takes flight into the spring light, like a soul ascending. As for the lizard, frequently depicted in Cayette’s work, it too is associated with the alluring and warming light, symbolizing the artist in search of spiritual enlightenment. With its severed tail regrowing, it also represents survival triumphing over adversity... 1911 was a significant year in Cayette’s career; he established his own business and achieved complete independence in 1912 with the help and encouragement of local patrons. Could this, then, be an illustration of his own takeoff toward personal creativity? Cayette’s work in silver is rare, whereas he often worked with copper or even wrought iron. This is therefore a unique treasure with strong Lorraine connotations, like many of the beautiful salon objects produced for exhibitions by members of the École de Nancy under the presidency of Émile Gallé. This object is thus a remarkable achievement, a sort of masterpiece demonstrating his creative ability. A sculptor, ironworker, bronze artist, cabinetmaker, modeler, and interior designer, Jules Cayette was born in 1882 to a father from Lorraine who had been exiled to Paris. The family returned to Nancy in 1888. In 1896, he enrolled for the first time at the Municipal and Regional School of Fine Arts in Nancy and graduated in 1899, after which he began an apprenticeship with Férez, a woodcarver and cabinetmaker from Nancy. In 1900, he re-enrolled at the School of Fine Arts while continuing his apprenticeship with Schwartz. He left the school for good in 1902. During this apprenticeship, he studied under Victor Prouvé and Eugène Vallin. In 1904, he began working as an assistant to Jacques Grüber, where he refined his style. The studio was adjacent to Vallin’s at the time, which explains Vallin’s clear influence on his early works. In 1910, he established his own business and began exhibiting regularly starting in 1912 at the Société Lorraine des Amis des Arts. The 1920s were the heyday of his workshops, which employed a dozen workers. His output was highly varied: from bronze ashtrays to light fixtures (always featuring Daum glasswork), as well as religious and commercial furnishings. He then underwent a major stylistic shift in a very short time, moving away from the Art Nouveau style toward a transitional style, and eventually fully embraced the Art Deco style, becoming a pioneer of the movement in Nancy as early as 1926–1928. Around 1941–1943, Jules Cayette moved to 113bis Rue du Maréchal Oudinot. He continued to design and produce works through the workshops of his former collaborators until his death in Nancy in 1953. Bibliography: - Étienne Martin, “Jules Cayette, 1882–1953, Art Workshops in Nancy,” Nancy, Edition MJC Pichon, 2008. - Étienne Martin, “Jules Cayette, 1882–1953, Art Designer in Nancy,” Metz, Editions Serpenoise, 2011 (richly illustrated volume).