Cabinet

Although design centers in Belgium and Germany produced distinctive objects in the undulating art nouveau style, the French city of Nancy in the province of Lorraine was the most important center of this style between 1890 and 1910. The leaders of this "School of Nancy" were Emile Galle (1846–1904) and Louis Majorelle.

This cabinet is a fine example of the work of Majorelle’s studio. The use of marquetry on the cabinet doors and backboard is especially fine. In this technique, hundreds of pieces of exotic woods are cut to the desired shape and then fitted together to form naturalistic pictures. Here, for example, a gaggle of geese decorate the lower doors. Upon close inspection, one can distinguish Majorelle’s signature worked entirely in marquetry.