ouis Majorelle – n - musee-ecole-de-nancy.nancy.fr · Nancy City Council gave the Musée de l’École de Nancy (a museum dedicated to l’École de Nancy Art Nouveau movement)

reopening

15 –16 february 2020

free inaugural weekend

1, rue louis M

ajorelle – nancy

ww

w.nancy.fr

reopening15 and 16 february 2020

The iconic home of Art Nouveau in Nancy, a total work of artby the architect Henri Sauvage,built for the furniture designer Louis Majorelle,a historic monument, owned by Nancy City Council,

Villa Majorelle reopens its doors after several months of restoration.Following major external renovation works, which were revealed to the public during the 2017 Heritage Days, Villa Majorelle’s partial internal renovation will be completed in February 2020.

Thanks to the meticulous restoration of the well-known original decoration and furnishings of the reception rooms and bedroom, visitors are now offered the opportunity to journey through time to explore the artist’s family life.

With its additional reception areas and guide materials for all cultural groups, Villa Majorelle has been established as an essential, exciting and surprising new venue for exploring the world of Art Nouveau in Nancy.

Welcome to the Majorelle family home!

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contentsHistory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

– Louis Majorelle: an unusual patron – “A house built by an artist, for an artist”– Banishing academic symmetry– A wide range of talent used for the decoration

renovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

– From Villa Jika to Villa Majorelle– House or museum? The aims of the project– The advisory committee– External works 2016–2017 – Interior renovation works: 2019–2020 – Interior renovation works: 2021–2022 – A few key figure

tHe visit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

– An immersive experience– Welcome to the Majorelle family home!

tHe reopening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

– A major inaugural weekend– Visiting information

recognitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

press visuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

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Louis Majorelle was born in Toul on 3 October 1859. His father, Auguste Majorelle (1825–1879), was fairly successful in the field of Japanese-style furniture decoration (using vernis Martin finishes) and style copying. Louis was considering a career

as a painter and studied at the School of Fine Arts in Paris but, after the death of his father, had to return to Nancy to help his mother run the family business, which already employed over twenty workers and was enjoying favourable financial success following the annexation of Alsace-Moselle. Under Louis’ leadership, the company launched into the production of modern furniture, in-fluenced by nature and by Emile Gallé: it was an immediate success. At the same time, he conti-nued with the industrial production of style copies. With the help of his brother, Jules Majorelle, the company set out to conquer the Parisian and international markets. In 1904, they opened a retail store on Rue de Provence, Paris (Samuel Bing’s former store) and branches were set up in London, Berlin, Lyon, Lille and even Oran. The sales catalogues offered various products and attested to the longevity of certain models over the decades. Orders from haute couture houses, Parisian cafés, rich industrialists, department stores and embassies made sure that the company enjoyed lasting success and recognition.

In 1898, Louis Majorelle gave the architect Henri Sauvage (1873–1932), who he had met at the home of their mutual friend, the sculptor Alexandre Charpentier, the task of drawing up plans for his personal home in Nancy. Aged just 26, Henri Sau-

vage had not yet been involved in such a project; his only experience was a few months of working with the Brussels architect Paul Saintenoy. Nevertheless, Majorelle preferred him to the Nancy architect Lucien Weissenburger, who had just built his workshops and been given the job of carrying on the project. His choice was based partly on the Parisian architect’s creative boldness and partly on the network of artists who would be called upon to take part in the project. It was also an opportunity for Majorelle to show Nancy some original conceptual ideas.

Villa Majorelle -or Villa Jika, named using the initials of Louis Majorelle’s wife, Jane Kretz- was built in 1901–1902 and has a very special place in the history of Nancy’s architecture. It was the first completely Art Nouveau house in Nancy, designed as an ensemble in which each compo-nent of its structure and decoration was designed in close interdependence with the rest of the building. The flowing forms and decorative motifs and the continuous interplay between the exterior and the interior make Villa Majorelle an example of success fully applying the notion of artistic unity, advocated by a large number of artists of the period.

louis Majorelle:an unusual patron

a House built by an artist, for an artist

History

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The house that Louis Majorelle wanted had to re-flect the spirit that reigned throughout his work: modernity, dynamism and unostentatious simpli-city. Of a reasonable size, it was designed first and foremost for the people who lived in it and their

day-to-day comfort. Sauvage thought about living space before elevation, interior layout before academic ideals: the result was described by Franz Jourdain as a “charming, spiritual vision” in the long article that he dedicated to the building in Art et Décoration in 1902. “The eye follows the rise of the staircase, enters the studio through its vast glass roof, senses the privacy of the bedrooms, stops at the little bay windows in the bathrooms, lingers over the expansive dimensions of a hospitable dining room and inspects the unpretentious entrance hall at its ease (…) High chimney stacks to draw the smoke from the fireplaces (…), sturdy downpipes (…) protective awnings, protru-ding balconies, wooden consoles to break up the rigidity of the stone, (…);enamelled stoneware of lavish brilliance (…);harmoniously tinted woodwork; soberly designed wrought iron (...);everything in its place, everything there for a reason, nothing to add and nothing to subtract”.

The entire elevation is an interplay of repeated oppositions: the austere nu-dity of the Euville stone against the polychrome of bricks, stoneware, wood-work and ironwork; the assertive height of the staircase tower against the elliptical arch of the terrace; the medieval inspiration of the flying buttress (which is no longer there) against the Japanese-style woodwork balcony…

Inside, the areas dedicated to service, reception and daily life are laid out smoothly and ratio-nally. The decoration, emphasised by the constant presence of wood, acts as a common thread of the interior layout and a link to the exterior.

Sauvage took care of the fixed decoration, which included the ironwork, and called in other artists for specific tasks. His Parisian friends, the cera-mic artist Alexandre Bigot and the painter Fran-cis Jourdain, respectively created the flambé stoneware exteriors and interiors and the decora-

tive paintings in the dining room. Unsurprisingly, Louis Majorelle designed the furniture, some of which was already to be found in his sales catalogues. Nancy’s master glazier, Jacques Gruber, was given the task of designing the stai-ned-glass windows in the main rooms (stairwell, dining room, living room and the Majorelles’ bedroom). The con-crete structural works were carried out by the construction company France-Lanord et Bichaton.The finished ensemble shows the occasional error, such as the north exposure of the terrace, the reusing of materials and money-saving choices, but above all Villa Majorelle stands out as a unique experimental work. Henri Sauvage said later:“I worked there for two years, redesigning my work a hundred times over… I offer this, my first client, this fine artist (…) the expression of my heartfelt gratitude for the unheard-of freedom that he gave me. Despite my young age, he never imposed a budget limitation nor his personal ideas on me.”

banisHing acadeMic syMMetry

a wide range of talent used for

tHe decoration

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tHe renovationof villa Majorelle2016–2022

After Louis Majorelle’s death in 1926, his only son, the painter Jacques Majorelle, who lived in Morocco, decided to sell the house. It was bought by the government and housed a variety of admi-nistrative services until 2017.While the surroun-

ding land was subdivided, the house itself underwent very few changes over this period, the most visible being the construction of a semi-underground bunker on the south side. Fortunately, none of the existing decoration was lost after the purchase. The gradual rediscovery of Art Nouveau heritage led to Villa Majorelle being listed as a Historic Monument in 1975 then classified in 1996. Nancy City Council has owned the house since 2003. Since 2007, guided tours have been offered at weekends, their success reflecting the public’s interest in this highly original building. Villa Majorelle occupies a special place in Nancy as an iconic example of Art Nouveau architec-ture, of course, but also as the home of an artist, keeping the memory of Louis Majorelle alive. For this reason, the Ministry of Culture awarded it the national “Maisons des Illustres” (‘Homes of the Famous’) mark in 2011.

This aspect was also a central factor in the decisions that were made during the restoration works that have just been completed. Nancy City Council gave the Musée de l’École de Nancy (a museum dedicated to l’École de Nancy Art Nouveau movement) the responsibility of defining the scientific and cultural project for the house, with the idea of making it a heritage site open to the public instead of a second museum about l’École de Nancy…In addi-tion, in 1984, the museum bought the bedroom furniture from the Villa, fol-lowed by the dining room furniture in 1996.

With its role as a private house, designed and lived in by an artist who worked during one of the most dynamic periods in Nancy’s history, those within the heart of the project knew that Villa Majorelle could not have been restored just as they would

establish or renovate a traditional museum. It therefore seemed essential to take a number of factors into consideration:

Defining where to begin when restoring the house The house’s current condition is the result of successive interventions that have changed its ap-pearance to varying degrees. The changes made during Louis Majorelle’s lifetime were based on decisions made by the artist, in particular following the damage suffered during the bombing in 1916. The removal of the south terrace on the second level, the decision not to replace the pine stained-glass window in the living room with an exact copy and the closure of the north terrace were key stages to which it would have been risky to return. As much as possible, it was therefore decided that the first stage would be the known condition prior to 1926, as long as the work did not have any effect on the Villa’s structural condition.

froM villa jika to villa Majorelle

House or MuseuM? tHe aiMs of tHe project

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the structural constraintsThe removal of the bow window on the north facade presented no problems or structural dan-gers, unlike the demolition of the bunker or the restoration of the windows in the first-floor bathroom. Placed directly over the original opening, still visible from the interior, the bow win-dow cancelled out the effects imagined by Henri Sauvage and distorted the perception of the north facade. Its removal was therefore primarily for aesthetic reasons.

the limitations of restoration anD the alternative optionsThe decision to restore the lost interior decoration factored in the known condition, the survi-ving components and the overall coherence of the decoration. Various articles and publications from the period provided information about the house’s appearance when it was built. In addi-tion, the house was used as a setting for the furniture sold by Majorelle in his catalogues. The black-and-white photographs that appear alongside the 1902 article by Franz Jourdain in Art et Decoration also provided a great deal of information about the decoration and the furniture. The Majorelle family’s photo album was another invaluable aid of a more intimate nature. Despite this essential body of knowledge, there were still many grey areas and unknown factors. The various attempts to recover the decorative features visible in the photos were unsuccessful and a number of items were missing… Rather than invent – and thus lose their way – the choice of a neutral, harmonious decoration based on tones inspired by known and surviving features was entrusted to a painter and decorator.

recreating a living, moving home markeD by the passage of timeIn addition to defining the stage that the restoration work should reflect, the degree to which the work should be finished was also determined so as not to lose the notion of the time that has passed and of wear and tear. To rebuild “as new” would have appeared anachronistic, exces-sive and, above all, artificial. This opinion justifies, for example, the irregularities that can be seen in the paint layers of the wall decor in the entrance hall and stairwell, representing signs – and symbols – of the house’s age. Similarly, all the work on the floors and wood panelling and the choice of finishes were defined with a view to essentially protect and reconcile an appearance of authenticity and age.

Before / after: the removal of the bow window

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Proximity to the furniture and other objects is an essential component of an experience in which the visitor is invited to explore the intimacy of a private home. Traditional exhibition conditions, with items protected under glass and kept at a distance, seemed to contradict this aim. There-fore, a compromise between maximum security and free access to the different rooms in the house was specially designed: visitors are asked to leave their bags in the cloakroom and wear protective overshoes.

aDapting a confineD space to large visitor numbers anD offering suitable reception services, especially for the DisableDOpening a house designed for three people to the wider public has meant working on the layout of the reception and exhibition areas in such a way as to provide visitor comfort and security.

– To create proper reception areas, the kitchen and pantry have been left out of the restora- tion scheme in order to house the cloakroom and shop and till.– A limited number of visitors is authorised for each time slot; this is regulated via the on- line booking service.– To provide access for the disabled, a lift has been installed in the former staircase leading to the cellar, giving access to the first level of the visit only and to the basement toilets. A virtual tour and a tactile model have been set up on the terrace.– The basement houses adapted sanitary facilities and a storage space for school groups.

tHe advisory coMMittee

the committee is maDe up of art nouveau specialists anD representatives of public authorities– mr. françois loyer, an architectural historian, former research director at the CNRS, honorary University pro- fessor, former director of the “Centre des Hautes Etudes” and Chairman of the “Commission du Vieux Paris”, former Organiser of the École de Nancy Celebration Year– mrs. françoise aubry, honorary curator of the Musée Horta, Brussels, and between 1989 and 2009 was res- ponsible for the House restoration and conversion project– mrs. roselyne bouvier, an art historian and specialist in Louis Majorelle– mrs. virginie Desrante, the Heritage Conservation Officer responsible for the Decorative Arts, French Museums Department, the Ministry of Culture and Communication– mrs. marie gloc, a Historic Monuments Conservation Officer, DRAC Eastern France, the Ministry of Culture and Communication– mr philippe thiebaut, honorary Chief Heritage Conservation Officer (Department of Decorative Arts, Musée d’Orsay), a specialist in the Art Nouveau movement

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At the time of the École de Nancy Celebration Year in 1999,Villa Majorelle underwent a partial exte-rior restoration (cleaning). In 2005, the chimney cowls were removed for safety reasons. After an initial schedule of works in 2013 (gutters, the small

west balcony), major works were begun in autumn 2016, supervised by Atelier Grégoire André architects. These lasted a year and the aim was to return the Villa to its familiar outlines. The works involved 6 specialist firms approved by the Historic Monuments team: Chanzy-Pardoux, France-Lanord et Bichaton, Hussor-Erecta, Lagarde et Merignani, Les Métalliers Lorrains and Tollis.

nature of the works– Total restoration of the roof, using slanted slates and round valley gutters, restoration of the chimneys and reinstallation of the flambé stoneware cowls– Cleaning the facades, replacement of damaged stonework, repointing, cleaning of stone- ware items and painting of the woodwork, balconies and ironwork (except for the main en- trance door)– Consolidation or repair of the balconies

© MEN © Atelier Grégoire André

external works2016-2017

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After a further study and assessment phase in 2018, Villa Majorelle has undergone a thorough interior re-novation since early spring 2019 as part of the restora-tion project, drawn up in close collaboration with the Musée de l’École de Nancy, approved by the scientific committee and led by Nancy City Council.

A final programme of works planned for 2021-2022 will conclude the project with, in particular, the creation of educational and interpretation areas. This final phase will not require closing the house to the public.

project management: atelier grégoire anDré, nancy, a heritage architectWith– SIGMA Technical Consultants (liquids)– Louvet Technical Consultants(structures)– Atelier Strates, restoration– Atelier Caravane, scenography-museography– Digitale Paysage, a landscape designer– Marie-Paule Barat, restoration– Barbara Van Der Wee, an architect and specialist in the restoration of Art Nouveau buildings in Brussels– Cabinet Philippe Grandfils, a quantity surveyor

firms – Lot no. 1 Masonry, stone-dressing and conversion: France-Lanord et Bichaton – Lot no. 2, Stairwell scaffolding: Altrad Arnholdt– Lot no. 3 Exterior and interior woodwork: SAS Asselin– Lot no. 4 Ironwork: Les Métalliers Lorrains– Lot no. 5 Painting and upholstery: Lagarde et Merignani, with Hugues Losfeld, decorative painting, and Marie-Madeleine Coquard, upholstery– Lot no. 6 Stained-glass windows: Bénédicte Lacheré, Emma Isingrini-Groult and Pauline Parfait– Lot no. 7 Restoration of the wall paintings: Artop– Lot no. 8 Lift: LTBO– Lot no. 9 Air conditioning, ventilation and heating: Imhoff SA – Lot no. 10 Electricity: SETEA– Lot no. 11 Furniture: Lumideco SAS

interior renovation works:

2019-2020

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nature of the works– renovation of the entire ground floor(entrance hall, stairwell, dining room, living room, terrace and corridors)– renovation of the first-floor bedroom.

in detail: – Complete restoration of the house’s electricity supply– Installation of a ventilation system (AHU) on the ground floor and first floor– Installation of a video surveillance system– Complete restoration of the heating system– Complete renovation of the walls and ceilings– Restoration of the decorative wall paintings: entrance hall, stairwell, dining room and terrace– Exposure of a sample area of the initial layer of wall decoration in the entrance hall and stairwell– Cleaning and re-leading all of the stained-glass windows– Recreation of the stained-glass windows in the bedroom (interior doors)– Restoration of the floor mosaics (entrance hall and in front of the fireplace)– Restoration of the terrazzo (kitchen and pantry, service staircase)– Restoration of all the parquet flooring, wood panelling and woodwork (stripping, sanding and shellac varnishing)– Restoration and reinforcement of the structure of the main staircase– Restoration of the roller blinds– Restoration of the flambé stonework (chimneys, terrace guard rails)– Restoration of the wooden trellising around the living room fireplace– Removal of the bow window– Partial cleaning of the facade after removal of the bow window– Restoration of the terrace woodwork– Creation of a closure for the north bay of the terrace– Creation of decorative wall paintings in the living room, dining room and stairwell– Restoration of the wall coverings in the bedroom– Restoration of the “imitation wood” paintings in the bedroom (woodwork)– Construction of the sanitary facilities in the basement– Renewal of the existing sanitary facilities– Renewal of the service staircase– Installation of a lift for PRM– Creation of furniture for the ticket counter, cloakroom and terrace– Creation of explanatory and directional signage

reDevelopment of the villaNearly 100 items of furniture, paintings and objets d’art from the Musée de l’École de Nancy collections are on show in the Villa.

The rooms have been reconfigured as a result of the acquisition by the Musée de l’École de Nan-cy since 1983 of works from the Villa or identical pieces; contemporary objects have also been selected from within the museum’s collections.

The furniture from the Majorelle house is mostly original but other items identical to those present in the Villa have had to be researched and found.

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Old photographs of Villa Majorelle, taken from the family album, attest to the presence of a large number of decorative items within the furnishings; L’École de Nancy was particularly interested in objets d’art and there was a significant production of “ornaments”.With this in mind, the Mu-sée de l’École de Nancy has looked through its collections for objects made of glass, stoneware and earthenware that could be placed in the Villa. As there were no objects in the building, it was decided that works designed by Louis Majorelle and/or produced by firms with whom he worked (Manufacture Daum, Manufacture Keller et Guérin, Manufacture de Rambervillers and Frères Mougin) would be chosen.

The choices also depended on sizes, shapes and resemblance to items visible in the old photos. Similarly, the museum has also chosen paintings from its collections produced by Louis Majo-relle or his son Jacques, as some of them were present in the Villa according to family memories and photos. These collections (furniture, ceramics and glassware, paintings, leather and tex-tiles) underwent restoration before they were installed in the renovated Villa.

Quelques exemples :– The bedroom furniture (acquired in 1984) consisting of a bed, a wardrobe, two bedside tables and a chest of drawers– The dining room furniture (acquired in 1996)– The portrait of Camille Rose Majorelle by Emile Friant – The entrance bookshelf unit (acquired in 1996)– A Pine-cone bench seat and armchair set (acquired in 2018) – 2– A Fern plant holder (acquired in 1999), – A Dragonfly lamp (acquired in 2001) – 1– A pair of fire dogs (acquired in 2006) – A Chestnut leaf table (acquired in 2013) – A set of seascapes by Louis Majorelle, from the Weissenburger collection (acquired in 2013)– A Seaweed light fitting by Majorelle-Gruber (acquired in 2015) – 3– An Umbels stand(acquired by the AAMEN in 2017) – 4

1 2 3 4

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a number of restoration campaigns have been planned to complete the redevelopment of the house– Restoration of the lamps in the dining room (ironwork and glass)– Restoration of the glass globes on the coat stand in the entrance hall– Restoration of the nets and curtains

restorers– Sébastien Milleville, furniture– Natasha Frankel, ceramics and glassware– Ingrid Leautey, leather garniture– Nathalie Schluck and Noémie Margotteau, textile garniture– Bluenn Boulangé, metal

light fitting restoration– Olivier Morel, metal– CERFAV (the Centre for Research and Training in the Glassmaking Arts), with Gérald Vatrin, glass

A final tranche of works is planned for 2021–2022, which will not require the house to be closed to the public. It comprises the recreation of the bathroom and wardrobe adjoining the bedroom, the creation of teaching and educational areas on the first floor and the renovation of Louis Majo-relle’s studio on the 2nd floor.

a few key figures– Exterior works (2016–2017) 720 000 €– Interior renovation– phase 1 (2019–2020) 1 800 000 €

interior renovation works: 2021–2022

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tHe visitThe renovation of Villa Majorelle pursues the es-sential goal of offering visitors an immersive ex-perience of Nancy from the 1900s, with the feeling of entering the private life of the Majorelle family. More open and offering new services, the Villa

should represent an essential gateway for exploring Nancy’s Art Nouveau movement. A carefully integrated expla-natory and directional signage system has been deployed in the immediate surroundings and inside the house to help visitors gain an understanding of this current building within the history of art, to tell the story of the Majorelle family and to offer a visit adapted to all ages.The house’s terrace offers greater accessibility, with a virtual tour of the villa and a tactile model providing a sensory exploration of Art Nouveau architecture. A visit application has also been de-veloped to accompany visitors on their discoveries.d’accompagner le visiteur dans sa découverte.

A visitor entering Villa Majorelle for the first time will no doubt be surprised by the lack of distance and space around the house. The neighbourhood housing estate and the creation of Rue Majorelle in the 1930s swallowed up most of the grounds. The gate originally opened onto Rue du Viel-Aître and a large tree-filled garden served as a na-tural setting for the house, away from prying eyes… From the terrace there was even a pleasant view of the coast. The Majorelle factory workshops were at the rear of the grounds.

welcoMe to tHe Majorelle faMily HoMe!

an iMMersive experience

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Once through the main door with its spectacular honesty branch decoration, the visitor disco-vers the entrance hall, which acts as a link between the exterior and the interior. The ingenious armchair–reminiscent of a bishop’s throne–is the first in a series of moveable and immovable furniture items incorporated into the space. The illuminated mirror–umbrella holder–coat rack is a fine example of the successful combination of usefulness and attractiveness. The stencilled decoration was repainted very early onto an initial, virtually identical décor, as we can see from a panel to the right of the main door. The stained-glass transom window completes the metho-dical use of the motif. Honesty is a symbol of prosperity and is said to bring luck. Its very graphic profile, showing fruit in silvery coin-like pods, made the plant a popular motif for the L’École de Nancy artists.

Upon entering the voluminous stairwell, the visitor is immediately attracted by its imposing height. From the outset, the banister rail designed by Henri Sauvage and made by Louis Majorelle expresses the strength and growth of the ivy, whose foliage decreases as you walk up the stairs, giving way to the swirling movement of the balusters. It is lit by two large bay windows decorated with stained glass by Jacques Gruber, thus creating a dynamic coherence.

In the left-hand corridor, a double door gives access to the dining room, a key feature of which is the imposing flambé stoneware fireplace in the centre, de-signed by Alexandre Bigot. It creates a virtual separation between the dining room and an area often referred to as the “smoking room”, furnished with desks and console tables.

All around the room, a frieze of panels painted by Francis Jourdain lays out a joyous procession of farm animals. The Les Blés furniture was designed by Louis Majorelle. Gruber’s stained-glass windows, with their bitter apple mo-tif, complete the room’s delightful decor.

The visitor will also note the delicate details on the door plates with their umbel décor, brass vents and the permanent interplay between the wooden decorative elements, veneers and consoles, which add both a formal and colourful touch.

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The living room has been extensively altered. It originally contained a lavish stucco decor with a pine cone motif that was repeated on the furniture and fireplace. The pine motif was again used on the stained-glass window by Jacques Gruber, destroyed in 1916 and replaced by a highly colourful, Oriental-style window decorated with a gilt wood mesh. Unlike the corridor sand the dining room, the woodwork here is painted in a grey-beige identified by its soundings. The pine cone furniture, consisting of a bench seat, two armchairs and two chairs, is not original but is identical in its sculpted decor and embroidered garniture to the set seen in the old photos. The flowering rush table, the plant-holder and the other items of furniture on display conjure up the atmosphere of the living room, which is decorated with a number of ornaments.

A glazed double door then takes the visitor through to the terrace. Sauvage had designed it to open onto the garden, but its unfavourable north exposure prompted the Majorelle family to install a shaped bay window in 1907. Photos from Jacques Majorelle’s album show that the space was frequently used for relaxing and dining. The spectacular stoneware balustrade was made by Alexandre Bigot, based on a drawing by Henri Sauvage –their signatures can be seen near the two jardinières situated at its ends. Bigot also designed a decorative panel on the theme of duckweed in deli-cate blueish tones on the interior wall of the conservatory. This is topped by a decorative painting by Henri Royer, a painter and a close friend of Louis and Jacques Majorelle. Installed after 1905, the marouflage canvas of sym-bolist inspiration depicts the dawn in an idyllic landscape inhabited by men, women, children and peacocks. The furniture unit with two mirrors is origi-nal, as are the coloured glass windows in the bay transom windows at the opposite end.

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The visitor then goes upstairs. The first room off the landing (closed to the public), formed a sort of antechamber. It contained Jika’s desk and wardrobe and gave access to the bathroom (whose restoration is planned for 2021–2022). The bedroom, directly accessed from the corridor, contains some outstanding pieces of furniture, including a bed, wardrobe, two chests of drawers and a bedside table. Made of ash, with ash veneer and inlaid mother-of-pearl and brass, the furniture is light in colour, something which is quite rare in the furniture-maker’s productions. The doors and woodwork show an imitation pitch pine decor (a North American tree), which was found through surveys carried out during the works. The walls are hung with a goffered fabric whose green tones echo the warm atmosphere of the room, which is emphasised by the presence of a carpet. The two central doors are deco-rated with stained-glass windows showing an honesty branch decor; these have been restored by Atelier Béné-dicte Lachéré to match the old photos.

On the second floor is a wall decor stencilled on the pitch of the ceiling. As in the entrance hall, an initial, identical decor was discovered during the surveys. Next to the bedrooms allocated to the domestic staff, a corridor leads to Louis Majorelle’s studio (for school groups only), lit by a large north-facing bay window, as is the traditional custom for artists’ studios. Its woodwork is evocative of the branches of a tree and is a strong component of the north elevation. Several paintings by Louis Majorelle on show around the house remind us of his initial vocation as a painter and the studio is proof that he never gave it up.

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tHe reopeninga Major inaugural weekenda free inaugural weekend is planned on 15 and 16 february 2020 to celebrate the opening of villa majorelle.

Tours of the Villa, a historic trail between the Villa and the Musée de l’École de Nancy, activities... The weekend will be totally dedicated to lovers of Villa Majorelle and Art Nouveau!

visiting inforMationTo ensure that visits run as smoothly and safely as possible, Villa Majorelle is open to visitors on a pre-booked basis:

– individuals: tickets can be booked online On the Musée de l’École de Nancy website musee-ecole-de-nancy.nancy.fr or on tickeasy villamajorelle-nancy.tickeasy.com

– groups: bookings can be made via the “département des publics de Nancy-Musées” Monday to Friday, 9.30 am to 12.00 pm By telephone: 03 83 85 30 01 Or by mail : [email protected]

opening tiMes – Wednesday to Sunday – Mornings from 9.00 am to 12.00 pm for groups – Afternoons from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm for individual visitors – Outside of these opening times for your gala events, etc.

Closed on 1 January, 1 May, 14 July, 1 November and 25 December

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pricesa villa majorelle ticket – Full rate: 6 € – Reduced ratet: 4 €

The ticket gives access to the Villa only during the booked time slot. No exchanges, no refunds.

combineD ticket: musée De l’école De nancy & villa majorelle – Full rate: 8 € – Reduced rate: 6 €

The ticket gives access to the Villa only during the booked time slot and to the Musée de l’École de Nancy on the same day. No exchanges, no refunds.

free entryfree entry for holders of the following valid cards: – Museum Pass Musées – Carte Museo – Carte Jeunes Nancy Culture – Nancy City Pass – Carte ICOM – Members of the Association des Amis du Musée de l’École de Nancy – Members of the Association Emmanuel Héré – Members of the Société d’Histoire de la Lorraine et du Musée Lorrain

free entry for all: – The first Sunday of every month – European Heritage Days – Museum Night – European Arts Days (if the building is taking part)

free entry (with proof) for: – Children under 12 – RSA beneficiaries – Students and teachers of the history of art at the University of Lorraine, the École du Louvre, ARTEM (Nancy School of Art, École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Nancy, ICN Business School), École d’Architecture de Nancy, École de Condé de Nancy – Nursery, Primary and Secondary school teachers (no age limit) – Teachers preparing a visit to the museum – Individuals accompanying groups of children (1 for every 7 children)

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recognitionsMaison des illustresThe “Maison des Illustres” label was created by the Ministry of Culture and Communication in 2011. It is awarded to houses that pass on the memory of men and women who have played a major role in France’s political, social and cultural history. Villa Majorelle is one of the 111 houses awarded the label since its creation.

iconic Houses The Iconic Houses Foundation currently consists of over one hundred iconic examples of 20th Century architecture open to the public. Villa Majorelle was added to the network on 1January 2014, joining a number of characteristic Art Nouveau houses such as Maison Horta in Brussels and La Pedrera in Bar-celona. The Iconic Houses website gives information about these houses, which are often little-known worldwide. The network also aims to put pro-fessionals in touch with each other to share their experiences and to help promote this often neglected and even threatened heritage.www.iconichouses.org

réseau art nouveau network Nancy City Council has been a member of the “Réseau Art Nouveau Network” since 1999. The Network aims to study, safeguard and promote Art Nouveau heritage by using a scientific approach, informing professionals and raising pu-blic awareness of the cultural values and European dimension of this heritage.

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the Network is organi-sing a colloquium in Brussels on 29 and 30 November 2019: “The interiors of the Art Nouveau period. Analyse, restore, make accessible”. Two of the talks will concern Nancy and in particular Villa Majorelle: Camille André, Heritage Architect and project manager for the renova-tion of the Villa, will be presenting his work on this very special project and Élodie Scheydecker, a student of the History of Art, Architecture and Heritage at the Univer-sity of Strasbourg, will be talking about the Maison Paul Luc in Nancy, a total work of art to which Louis Majorelle contributed and which no longer exists.www.artnouveau-net.eu

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partners

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contactsvilla majorelle1, rue Louis Majorelle F-54000 Nancymusee-ecole-de-nancy.nancy.fr

ManageMentvalérie thomasChief Heritage Conservation Officer,Director of the Musée de l’École de Nancy and Villa [email protected]

presshra agencySarah Heymann, Ophélie Thiery and Bettina Bauerfeind +33 (0)1 44 61 76 76 www.heymann-renoult.com

national pressOphélie Thiery [email protected]

contact nancy-muséesvéronique baudoüinCommunications Officer,Nancy-Musées+33 (0)3 83 85 30 [email protected]

regional pressclaude Dupuis-rémondPress Relations Manager,Nancy City Council +33 (0)3 83 85 56 [email protected]

international pressBettina [email protected]

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press visualsold pHotograpHs froM tHe Majorelle pHoto collection

1Jika and Louis Majorelle

on the terrace, date unknown, Majorelle photo album

© MEN

2 & 3Views of the Villa from the north side with the Majorelle family on the balcony and in the garden, date unknown, Majorelle photo album© MEN

4The Villa Majorelle living room

in “Art et Decoration”, 1902© MEN

5The Villa Majorelle dining room,

the Majorelle company sales catalogue © MEN

2

4

3

5

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exterior views after tHe restoration

6 Detailed image of the north facade © MEN – Photo Philippe Caron, 2017 7 Detailed image of the east facade © MEN – Photo Philippe Caron, 2017

8Detailed image of the canopy

over the front door © MENPhoto Philippe Caron, 2017

9Partial view of the south

facade © MENPhoto Philippe Caron, 2017

10Detailed image of the

chimneys © MENPhoto Philippe Caron, 2017

11The north facade before the removal of the bow © MEN – Photo Philippe Caron, 2017

6 7

8 9 10

12North terrace after the demolition

of the bow window © MEN – Photo Siméon Levaillant, 2019

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interior views before tHe restoration

13 & 14Dining room, fireplace by Alexandre Bigot, furniture by Majorelle © MEN – Photo Pierre Mignot

15View from the entrance hall

© MEN – Photo Pierre Mignot

16Living room

© MEN – Photo Pierre Mignot

17Jacques Gruber, the honesty branch stained-glass window (stairwell)© MEN – Photo Damien Boyer

18Terrace, a view of the fresco by Henri Royer© MEN – Photo Pierre Mignot

13 14

15 16

17 18

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interior views after tHe restoration

19 20

21 22

19View of the staircase as seen from the first floor © MEN – Photo Siméon Levaillant, 2019

20The dining room© MEN – Photo Siméon Levaillant, 2019

21 Door to the main bedroom

with re-created stained glass windows © MEN – Photo

Siméon Levaillant, 2019

22 Jacques Gruber, stained glass

window with gourd decor, 1901–1902 © MEN – Photo

Siméon Levaillant, 2019

23View of the staircase as seen from the third floor after restoration© MEN – Photo Siméon Levaillant, 2019