60 - JEAN-MICHEL FRANK (1895–1941) INTERIOR DESIGNER – PAUL RODOCANACHI (1871–1952) DESIGNER OF THE MODEL

JEAN-MICHEL FRANK (1895–1941) INTERIOR DESIGNER – PAUL RODOCANACHI (1871–1952) DESIGNER OF THE MODEL Model commonly known as “Rodo,” sometimes called “Metteur en scène,” created in [1929]; our pieces were likely made that same year. Set of 4 armchairs in original brown-stained oak. Each features two X-shaped legs with spear-tip finials, connected by dice-shaped joints and joined by a cylindrical crossbar—the backrest posts and armrest brackets are also cylindrical. The seats and backs (with the exception of one seat) are upholstered in red leather with original Hermès saddle stitching. The armrests and tops of the backrest posts are originally upholstered in red leather with Hermès saddle stitching. Shows signs of use; scattered imperfections and minor restorations on the oak frames; two red leather seats are partially torn at the front; scattered wear, stains, and discoloration on the leather parts; broken saddle stitching; some leather seat fastenings reinforced with staples; the red leather seat has been replaced on one of the chairs. One armchair bears the number 161, a second the number .6., and a third the number 164; all have a mark on a leather section of the seats near the fastening on the back. Height: 81 cm – Length: 61 cm – Depth: 45 cm Provenance: - René Moreuil (1908–1982) and Andrée Babette Moreuil (née Scheuer) (1911–2003), known as Poumy, who was at one time a translator for Bertolt Brecht and who was a friend of Louis Aragon. René and Andrée Babette were very close to many intellectuals and artists and were prominent members of the Resistance. After escaping from the camp where he was imprisoned at the start of the war, René joined Charles de Gaulle and then went to fight in Libya—he represented Free France in Syria and Lebanon until 1944 —while Andrée Babette was entrusted with high-risk missions on French soil. - By descent. Important: A certificate issued by the Jean-Michel Frank Committee for our set of four armchairs will be provided to the purchaser. Exhibition: Jean-Michel Frank: An Interior Designer in 1930s Paris—Pierre Bergé–Yves Saint Laurent Foundation, October 2, 2009, through January 3, 2010. Similar armchairs were featured in this exhibition. Bibliography: - *Art et Décoration* – No. 1, January–March 1939. Similar armchairs are reproduced on page 5 in an article titled “The Poetic Exegesis of Jean-Michel Frank,” written by Roger Lannes. - *Art et Industrie* – No. 1, November 1945. Similar armchairs are reproduced on pages 19 and 20 in an article titled “The Work of Jean-Michel Frank,” written by Jacques Lassaigne. - Léopold Diego Sanchez – Jean-Michel Frank – Éditions du Regard, Paris, 1980. Similar armchairs are reproduced on pages 17, 153, 163, and 189. - Anne Bony – The 1940s – Éditions du Regard, Paris, 1985. Similar armchairs are reproduced on page 445. - Léopold Diego Sanchez – Jean-Michel Frank – Éditions du Regard, Paris, 1997. Similar armchairs are reproduced on pages 21, 158–159, 168–169, and 222. - François Baudot – J.M. Frank: A World of Style – Éditions Assouline, Paris, 1998. Similar armchairs, with variations in oak and leather finishes, are reproduced on pages 32, 64–65, 77, and 79. - Pierre-Emmanuel Martin-Vivier – Jean-Michel Frank – Éditions Norma, Paris, 2006. Similar armchairs are reproduced on pages 155, 190, 191, 218, and 255. - Various Authors – Jean-Michel Frank: An Interior Designer in 1930s Paris – Catalog of the eponymous exhibition organized by the Pierre Bergé–Yves Saint Laurent Foundation from October 2, 2009, to January 3, 2010, Éditions Norma, Paris, 2009. Similar armchairs are reproduced on pages 65 and 131. Paul Rodocanachi (1871–1952) An architect from a Greek family that had emigrated to Marseille, Paul Rodocanachi remains a relatively little-known designer today, despite his notable contribution to the renewal of the decorative arts between the two world wars. His close relationship with Emilio Terry (1890–1969) led him to meet Jean-Michel Frank, and he became—alongside Christian Bérard, Alberto Giacometti, and Terry himself—one of Frank’s closest collaborators. Note: The information cited in this text is taken from: Pierre-Emmanuel Martin-Vivier – Jean-Michel Frank – Éditions Norma, Paris, 2006, pp. 218–219. Rodocanachi’s artistic sensibility is rooted in a deep understanding of 18th-century French architecture and the classical tradition, complemented by his sense of volume and proportion, as well as a certain decorative restraint—which is not unlike Frank’s work. His mansion in Neuilly-sur-Seine, built in 1902, is a perfect illustration of this. Introduced to Jean-Michel