A FRENCH 'JAPONISME' ORMOLU AND EBONY PARAVENT

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ÉDOUARD LIÈVRE Édouard Lièvre (d. 1886) was one of the most talented and prolific industrial designers of the second half of the 19th century, with a broad repertoire that included Japanese and neo-Renaissance style furniture, and ceramics. His designs were interpreted by renowned Parisian firms, le fondeur, Ferdinand Barbedienne, and Christofle, and sold in fashionable art emporiums including L'Escalier de Cristal. Lièvre was a passionate propagator of le Japonisme, a style that combined far eastern motifs, occidental culture, and romantic idealism. Enthusiastic collectors and dealers like Henri Cernuschi, founder of the Asian art museum in Paris, or Siegried Bing, importer and dealer of oriental furniture, objets d'art and engravings played a significant role in the diffusion of Japanese culture significantly influencing contemporary designers and craftmen. Trained initially as an artist under Thomas Couture, from 1870 Lièvre was fully immersed in decorative art providing designs for manufacturers and marchand-éditeurs; an early important work was a vase persan, designed for Christofle in 1874, exhibited at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1878, 1889 and 1900. Lièvre also had a number of private clients for whom he supplied luxurious furniture including the actress, Sarah Bernhardt (Psyché), the courtisane, Louise-Emilie Valtesse de la Bigne, (an impressive bed, now in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, DO 1981-19), Albert Vieillard, director of Bordeaux's ceramics factory (a cabinet now in the Musée d'Orsay, OAO555), and Édouard Detaille, the famous military artist for whom Lièvre supplied a console d'apparat. After Lièvre's death, both his sketches and their reproduction rights were sold in 1890. Some were purchased by George and Henry Pannier, owners of L'Escalier de Cristal. Lièvre's perfect design, Japanese inspiration and excellent quality of the craftsmanship explain the high prices that his pieces commanded; according to Henry Pannier, prices for Lièvre were up to six times higher than those of other designers.

A FRENCH 'JAPONISME' ORMOLU AND EBONY PARAVENT

THE DESIGN ATTRIBUTED TO ÉDOUARD LIÈVRE, LAST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

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A FRENCH 'JAPONISME' ORMOLU AND EBONY PARAVENT
THE DESIGN ATTRIBUTED TO ÉDOUARD LIÈVRE, LAST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY
Of three screens, each with greek-key and stiff-leaf cast frame and surmountd by a cresting with dragons opposing a gong, above a half mirror-plate cornered with pierced strapwork and abeille mount, a cloth-covered panel below
73 in. (186 cm.) high; 93 in. (237 cm.) wide, overall

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This 'Japonisme' paravent although unsigned is attributed to Édouard Lièvre based on stylistic attributes. The prolific use of the Japanese mon (or possibly a version of the Chinese symbol for longevity), in this example, part of the ormolu crest flanked by stylised dragons and on the hinges can be found on many of his 'Japonisme' pieces including the crest and brackets of a signed meuble à deux corps. The scrolls of the latter embody much of the sinuosity found on the crest of the paravent ('Édouard Lièvre', Connaissance des Arts, no. 228, 2004, pp.10-13). The mon is also prominent on a magnificent aquarium conceived by Lièvre, signed Barbedienne (op.cit., pp.30-31). Another Lièvre characteristic is the use of pierced scrollwork and 'bamboo' fretwork often appearing together as in this example, and also on ormolu mounts by Lièvre on a Japanese vase (op.cit., p. 8). Other characteristic 'oriental' motifs include bands of Greek key, cross-hatching and lappets, all of which are present, the latter two motifs on an ormolu and cloisonné enamel jardinière, sold Christie's London, 20 September 2012, lot 202 (£18,750). The bee, an imperial motif, appearing twice on the paravent undoubtedly relates to the supremacy of Napoleon III.
Although this paravent cannot be identified in sales following Lièvre's death, there were a number of paravents in his collection (Catalogue des Meubles d'Art de la Succession de feu M. Édouard Lièvre, 21-24 March 1887, lots 473 and 474).